Whatever It Takes
by curlybean
Summary: At the ripe old age of fifteen, Neal Caffrey finds himself in way over his head and needs to be saved. FBI agent Peter Burke finds himself in the impossible position of being Neal's savior. There's only one problem... They both have very different ideas on what Neal needs to be saved from. Luckily for Neal, Peter Burke is ready to do whatever it takes to help him.
1. What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to Jeff Eastin and the lovely people at USA Network. I am merely playing in their lovely little sandbox. No copyright infringement intended.

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 1

Neal George Caffrey was a desperate man. He prided himself on the ability to adapt to and overcome any adverse situation, but the predicament he recently found himself in was proving to be beyond this ability. In other words, he was in way over his head, with no one around to toss him a life-preserver.

How he had gotten himself into this particular predicament was a long story, involving several different people, but Neal really only had himself to blame. He had grown too cocky, too sure of himself. That's what happened when everyone around you praised your skills and you became somewhat of a legend in certain circles. And Neal George Caffrey was a legend, in his own mind, and in the minds of others. Of course, his legendary status wasn't going to help him out of this situation. He didn't think the policeman that arrested him knew that he was a legend. He wasn't even sure that the man knew that he was a human being, although the officer was nice enough to read him his Miranda Rights loudly enough for everyone around to hear.

Neal's morning had started off normally. His closest friend, Mozzie, showed up at 8 with coffee and doughnuts. Neal grabbed two of his favorite kind, thanking Mozzie with a mouthful of maple doughnut.

"Neal, I have a bad feeling about this," Mozzie said, as he watched Neal scarf down his breakfast. "Something seems off."

Come on, Mozz, everything's fine. We get in and get out, just like we practiced. What could go wrong?" Neal was too busy grabbing another doughnut to see the look that Mozzie was giving him.

"Just be careful, Neal. That's all I'm saying. Watch your back."

Neal hadn't watched his back close enough, which led to Matthew Keller, dirty, rotten scoundrel that he was, figuratively knifing him in said back, taking the bag of rare Egyptian artifacts out of his hand, and leaving Neal in a cloud of dust. Neal had enough time to get rid of any evidence that could actually pin the heist on him, but he was still caught on suspicion of breaking and entering. For the first time in his 15 years of life, Neal Caffrey, legendary thief and conman, was in big trouble.

Author's note: This is my first ever fanfiction attempt, so please be patient. I love White Collar and all of its characters, so I thought I would try my hand at creating some new stories. Thanks for reading and, if you can, I would love to hear your thoughts on the story.


	2. Must Be A Monday!

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 2

* * *

Special Agent Peter Burke wasn't having a good morning. It started off great, but that mostly had to do with the fact that he had slept next to the most beautiful woman in the world. The great part of his morning ended when he tripped over the shoes he had left at the end of the bed, causing him to lose his balance, falling into the dresser and hitting his shoulder. A few creative expletives, yelled rather loudly, had Elizabeth returning to the bedroom and then giving Peter a look that clearly reminded him of how many times she had told him to put his shoes away before he tripped over them. Sometimes, he wondered if he would ever learn to listen to her.

His morning continued to decline, much to his displeasure. First, he spilled his coffee all over his shirt, ruining his favorite tie. He knew Elizabeth wouldn't be upset about that. She had always hated that tie. When he was getting up to do something about the mess he had made, he accidently stepped on Satchmo's tail, causing the dog to run off, yelping his distress throughout the house. This, in turn, brought Elizabeth into the kitchen to give Peter another one of her patented looks of disapproval.

After replacing his shirt and tie, Peter went to grab his cell phone. He cursed, more quietly this time, when he realized that he had forgotten to charge his battery overnight, leaving his phone with only a ten percent charge. He had no choice, but to hope that the battery would at least last until he got to the office.

Finally, he made it out the door, only to realize that he had left his FBI credentials in his other suit jacket. Rushing back in, he wasn't at all surprised to find Elizabeth standing at the top of the stairs with his credentials in her hand.

"Did you forget something?" Elizabeth started down the stairs, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Thanks, hon," Peter said. "I don't know what's wrong with me this morning. I can't seem to get it together."

Elizabeth gave her husband a kiss on the cheek. "Hang in there, sweetie. It's still early."

"I'll try." Peter leaned over and gave his wife a solid smack on the lips. "I feel better already."

Elizabeth couldn't help the laugh that escaped her when Peter bumped into the doorway on his way out.

* * *

Once he made it to the office, Peter's day continued to spiral downward, only now he didn't have the cushion of his beautiful wife's presence to make him feel better. He could give Hughes a solid smack on the lips, to see if that made him feel better, he thought with a smile, then realized what a ridiculous thought that was. It seemed that even his sense of humor was having a bad day.

Upon opening the door to the White Collar Crime Unit, he was immediately pounced on by Agent Barrigan. "Boss, why aren't you answering your phone?" she asked, looking at him as if he had committed the biggest faux pas ever. "I've been trying to reach you for the last 30 minutes."

"I'm sorry, Diana. I forgot to charge my phone last night. The battery died," Peter admitted. "What did I miss?"

Diana gave Peter a look that rivaled one of Elizabeth's looks, causing Peter to look away sheepishly. Peter seemed flustered for some reason, and she wasn't used to seeing him in such a way. He was normally the epitome of calm, cool and collected, even when things didn't go as planned. "We received a tip that something might be going down tonight at the Museum of Natural History. The person who tipped us off is a pretty reliable source, according to NYPD."

"Okay, I want all the details. Who is this reliable source? How do they know what's going on?" Peter headed toward the conference room, expecting Diana and the rest of their crew to follow. This day just might be getting better, he thought to himself.

* * *

A few hours later, they had gone over all the information available to them and had come up with a tentative plan of action. Over the last two years the White Collar unit had been investigating a string of heists that were targeting New York museums and galleries. So far, they had very little to go on. It seemed that the thieves involved were rather good at what they did, leaving very little evidence behind. There were a few shady photos and some shaky camera footage that never quite offered a clear look at the culprits, but the FBI had been able to analyze the footage closely enough to say, with some certainty, that each heist was carried off by the same group of people. Approximate height, build and gender were all they had to go on, but at least it was something.

Through the briefing given by Diana, Peter learned that their "reliable source" was, in fact, a young man that had been arrested in suspicion of trying to fence approximately two million dollars' worth of stolen gems. The young man knew that, with the evidence they had against him, his only choice was to make some kind of a deal. Once he told the police that he had information on a pending heist, the NYPD had been more than happy to share this information with the FBI, knowing that they were actively working the case. For once, Peter felt like they had caught a break in this case. His day was definitely getting better.

* * *

Author's note: Well, chapter two is a little longer than chapter one. I feel like I'm back in school again, worrying about spelling, grammar and word counts, lol. Just to clear up a few things, Neal is 15 years old in this fic, but everyone else is the same age as in canon. I was going to adjust everyone accordingly, but that would mean that I would have to come up with new agents to work with Peter and that just seemed like too much work. I hope that doesn't throw the whole story off for some of you. Anyway, thanks for reading. I would love to hear what you think so far.


	3. Painful Reminiscing

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 3

* * *

Neal felt like he had been sitting in the small, boring room for hours. It had really only been about ninety minutes, but to a very active teenage boy, it seemed longer. The fact that he was starving and really needed the bathroom didn't help matters. He wondered if this was some sort of intimidation method, where, when someone finally showed up, he would be expected to be so grateful that he would quickly own up to whatever they accused him of. Of course, he was smarter than to fall for such plebian attempts. He hadn't made it this far in life by not knowing when to keep his mouth shut.

Neal wasn't your average young man, by any stretch of the imagination. He had lived more in his fifteen years than most people had in their entire lives, but he wasn't sure if that was actually a good thing. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he was currently more scared than he had ever been, and that was saying a lot. Not for the first time in his life, he wished that he had parents that would be there for him in situations like this. What would it be like to know that, no matter what happened, you were loved? What would it be like to know that there was someone that always had your best interests at heart? That no matter how much you screwed up, they would be there to protect you?

At one time in his life, he might have had parents like that, but he wasn't sure. Neal knew very little about his father, other than the fact that he was a cop. When Neal was three, his father had left for work and not returned. He found out later that he had been killed, but never really knew the details. His mom had been a fairly normal mom in the beginning, but after his father died, she fell apart. It didn't happen all at once, but rather over the course of the next five years. Neal was young enough that he really didn't even realize that the things his mom did and didn't do weren't normal. How was he to know that moms weren't supposed to sleep all day and leave their children alone at night? He didn't know that moms usually made sure that their kids had money for lunch. Or, that there were kids that actually sat down at the table with their moms for dinner. He didn't know that there were moms out there that didn't bring strange men home some nights.

Neal loved his mom, but there were times that he was actually scared of her. This usually happened those nights that she brought someone home with her. She always acted different when she was with these men. Neal was usually sent to his room early on those nights and he always tried to stay there, but there were times that he needed to use the bathroom or get a drink. Venturing out of his room often led to his mother getting angry with him. There were times that the men that were there would get angry, too, and his mother wouldn't stop them when they started yelling at him. One particular man even hit him hard enough to knock him to the floor, but his mother just watched silently before grabbing the man's hand and leading him into her bedroom. That night was the first time that Neal's heart truly broke.

When Neal was eight years old, the school principle pulled him and his teacher out of class and led them into his office. Neal was introduced to an older lady with a kind smile. He tried to put a smile on his face, too, but he had a strange feeling that something bad had happened. Neal's teacher held his hand as the lady with the kind smile told him that his mother had been admitted to the hospital after an incident at home. She wouldn't go into details with him, but said that his mother wouldn't be able to take care of him for awhile and that she would be taking him to his new home. Neal sat there, grasping his teacher's hand, who by this time had tears streaming down her face. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about this, really. He loved his mom, but truly felt disconnected from her in so many ways. She had become just this other person living in the same house, who rarely talked to him unless it was to remind him of how much she sacrificed to take care of him, or to tell him how like his father he was. She always said this in an annoyed way, which confused Neal, because he always thought his mother had loved his father and missed him.

Once Neal had been allowed to absorb what had happened as best he could, the kind lady took him to the hospital. Neal wasn't sure he even wanted to see his mom, but the social worker thought it best if he did. Once at the hospital, Neal had waited outside the room, as the lady talked with his mom. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he could definitely recognize the sound of his mother's raised voiced, and after a few minutes of this, the kind lady came back out. Neal caught a glimpse of his mom in the hospital bed, staring apathetically at him through the quickly closing door. He was trying to prepare himself to enter the room, when instead the social worker grabbed his hand and led him back down the hall, explaining that his mom was tired and needed to rest. That had been the last time he had ever seen his mother.

What followed was a series of foster homes, that didn't work out for one reason or another. The first one he went to wasn't bad at first. The foster mother was nice enough, but she simply couldn't handle the demands of fostering children. Her solution to this was to place Neal and the other kids in front of the television for hours at a time. Through the shows he watched, Neal learned what family life was really about. He often daydreamed that his parents were like Charles and Caroline Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie, Annie and Eric Camden in 7th Heaven, or Amy and Alan Matthews in Boy Meets World. He began to get a glimpse of what unconditional love was through these stories and wondered why it seemed that he couldn't have someone that loved him that way.

His second foster home only lasted for a few weeks. The foster father was hardly ever home and when he was he plopped down in front of the television with a beer and a cigarette, hardly ever speaking a word. The mother spent most of her time cleaning and cooking and trying to keep peace in the household. Neal didn't mind it there, at first. He simply learned to keep his head down and do as he was told. The problem started when the couple's oldest son, Aaron, returned home after losing his job. The young man, who had just turned nineteen, obviously had anger issues and it seemed that the whole household walked on eggshells, trying not to upset him.

Neal had been walking out of the house to go to school one morning when Aaron suddenly grabbed him by the straps of his backpack, pulling him so quickly that he lost his balance and fell to the floor. Neal watched in horror as Aaron accused him of stealing money from his room. Neal tried to tell Aaron that he wouldn't ever do that, that he wasn't a thief, but Aaron didn't believe him. He had reached out to grab Neal's backpack to check it, but Neal was too quick for him. Scrambling to his feet, Neal tried to run out the door, but Aaron grabbed him by the arm and yanked him back. Neal remembered hearing a strange popping sound and then feeling intense pain shoot through his arm. Karen, his foster mother, came running into the living room at the sound of the cry of pain that escaped Neal. An hour later, Neal was sitting in the emergency room, waiting for the doctor to treat his dislocated elbow. He never went back to that home.

The third foster home was the last. Neal stayed in this home for nearly four months and was happier than he could ever really remember. Michael and Annie Baylor had been married for almost ten years and in those ten years, they had tried everything they could to have a child, but were ultimately unsuccessful. Finally, they decided to think about adopting a child. Like most couples wanting to adopt, they initially wanted a newborn or toddler, and were waiting patiently for their chance.

Annie's friend, Emma, worked in the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and was called to respond to the allegations of abuse against Neal's aggressor, Aaron. At first sight, Emma had been charmed by the adorably sweet Neal. When she realized that Neal was in need of a new home, she immediately called her friend and explained the situation. Michael and Annie had applied years ago to become emergency foster parents, so by the time Neal had been released from the hospital hours later, they were prepared to take him in.

Michael and Annie quickly fell in love with the young boy they had invited into their home and the feeling was mutual with Neal. They fell into such a seamless groove as a family, and within the first month, Michael and Annie had decided to adopt Neal. Neal had never been happier and couldn't wait to officially be a part of the family.

Neal had started a new school and was really beginning to thrive when his world was shaken again. In a scene eerily reminiscent of the day he had entered into the foster care system, Neal once again had been called out of the classroom by the principal. This time it was to inform him that Michael and Annie Baylor had been in an accident and that neither had survived. This time Neal reacted in the expected way, crying his little heart out. Once again, he was left alone in this world.

* * *

Still waiting in the small, boring room, Neal continued to think back on how he had come to this point. After Michael and Annie had died, Neal had been placed in a group home, until they could place him somewhere else. By this time, Neal was almost nine years old. He was fairly self reliant after all the years of taking care of himself and finally decided that he didn't want to go through the process of getting to know a different foster family. He sometimes had wondered how many times your heart could be broken before you couldn't put it back together again, and he decided that it really wasn't worth the risk.

Deciding to take things into his own hands, Neal snuck out of the group home one night, with a few sets of clothing, some apples and oranges he had pilfered from the kitchen after dinner, a few pictures of his time with Michael and Annie, and the sketchbook and pencils Annie had given him when she found out that he liked to draw. He never looked back.

* * *

Author's note: It seems that each chapter is getting a little longer, doesn't it? I promise that Neal and Peter will come together soon. Just a little more building of Neal's past first. I hope you're enjoying the story so far, and I would REALLY love to hear what you think. Reviews are so very nice to read and are great motivators to write more. Thanks so much for reading.


	4. It's A Hard-Knock Life

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 4

* * *

At the tender age of eight years and 11 months, Neal George Caffrey found himself living on the streets of New York City. He was small for his age, which was both an advantage and disadvantage. Being small allowed him to slip into places without being noticed, but it also sometimes drew attention to the fact that there was a small child all by himself. New Yorkers could either be completely disinterested in the happenings around them, or completely meddlesome, and Neal quickly learned to read the people around him. He was very intuitive and usually judged correctly, but there were still a few close calls here and there.

The first few months were incredibly hard and most nights he cried himself to sleep, his stomach painfully empty; his body painfully tired; his heart painfully broken. He met a few other kids living on the streets and occasionally he would hang with them, learning the ins and outs of survival, but mostly he kept to himself, observing everything around him. Luckily, he was a fast learner.

Neal proved to be great at pick-pocketing, mostly due to his agility, dexterity and aptitude for misdirection. The first few times he did it, he felt immense guilt, but that guilt was overridden by his grumbling, greedy stomach. He managed to make quite a bit of money, so his stomach was much happier.

His outlook on pick-pocketing changed a little, however, after he learned how devastating it was to be pick-pocketed. He had been eating a sandwich at an outside table of a little Bistro he liked when he overheard a conversation between a crying young woman and her friend. It seemed that her purse had been stolen and she was devastated at the loss of a ring that had belonged to her great-grandmother. Neal decided at that moment that he didn't want to ever cause anyone that kind of distress and that he would have to alter his game plan. Unfortunately, he still needed to pick-pocket to survive.

After much thought, Neal finally came up with a solution. He would still pick-pocket, but instead of carelessly discarding the wallet afterwards, he would leave it in a place that would insure its return to the owner. Once he had decided that it was too risky to drop a bag full of stolen wallets at the nearest police station, he decided to do the next best thing…..drop the bag full of stolen wallets into the nearest United States Postal Service mail receptacle. He also tried not to take all the money in the wallet, leaving some of it behind with a small note of apology, explaining that he only stole out of desperation and a need to survive.

After Neal had been living on the streets for a few years, he caught the eye of some very bad people. He had become somewhat of a legend in the minds of the other street kids around him, mostly due to the fact that he never got caught and that he was always able to con his way out of trouble and into people's hearts. Most of the restauranteurs in the neighborhood knew him as Nick, a sweet little, blue-eyed boy whose mother was ill and couldn't afford to work. When they saw "Nick" they would load him up with all kinds of food, wishing him and his mother well as he left with his arms full. The theater owner nearby would often let Neal in to see what ever movie he wanted (as long as it was rated G or PG), loading him down with hot, buttered popcorn, soda and candy. With Neal's new connections, the need to pick-pocket had lessened and his nights of going to bed hungry were fewer and fewer.

Neal spent a lot of his time visiting every museum and art gallery nearby. He immersed himself in decades and centuries past, listening to every tour he could sneak into, learning everything he could about everything he could. He would spend rainy days at the library learning about renaissance art and rare gems that were found in ancient river beds. He loved reading about ancient civilizations and distant times. His love for learning was nonpareil.

* * *

On sunny days, Neal would often sit at a park with his sketchbook, sketching anything that caught his eye. Hours would pass before his hand would start to ache and he would be forced to call it a day. Those were some of the most peaceful times for Neal and he was happy to be alive in those moments.

At that park was where he first met Matthew Keller. If there were ever a moment he wished he could take back, it was the moment that he met Keller. Neal had been sitting with his back against a giant oak tree, his sketchbook open, but his mind a million miles away. He had been putting the finishing touches on a sketch he did the day before at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, of a Degas painting titled Dancer II, when he started to daydream about the day that one of his original paintings would hang in a museum somewhere. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't hear someone walk up behind him. In fact, it wasn't until the man jerked the sketchbook out of his hands that Neal realized that he was there.

Neal swiftly jumped to his feet, reaching for his book. "Hey, give it back. That's mine!" Neal jumped as high as he could, but the man easily held the book out of his reach.

"Did you draw these?" The man looked incredulously at the small boy in front of him, his beady eyes looking Neal up and down. "These are really very good."

Neal continued to reach for his book, but then suddenly dropped his arms and, without really putting much thought into what he was doing, rammed his elbow into the man's stomach. The man doubled over, gasping for air. In the process of trying to get his breath back, he dropped the book, which Neal hastily picked up. Turning to run, with his sketchbook safely back in his possession, Neal noticed for the first time that the man was not alone. There were two other men standing in his way, both laughing at what had just happened to their colleague.

"Grab him," the injured man gasped. "Don't let him go!"

Before Neal could take off again, the two men surrounded him, blocking off his escape path.

"It's okay, kid," one of the men said. "We're not going to hurt you. We just want to talk."

Neal looked at each of the men, gauging if he had any chance at all of escaping. When it was obvious that there was no escaping, Neal relaxed a little, and gave his head a small nod of surrender. Once the other man had finally caught his breath, he introduced himself as Matthew Keller. Neal noticed that he didn't introduce the other two men and figured they must just be his muscle, there to protect him from pre-teen boys with bony elbows. He wanted to ask the man how that was working out for him, but really didn't want to push him over the edge.

Neal listened to Keller with an open mind, but his stance showed that he was never very far away from escaping as fast as he could. Keller told him that there was word on the street of a young kid with amazing artistic talent and that this kid might be interested in making a little money here and there. Neal perked up at these words, anxious to make money whenever he could. He had come to associate money with a feeling of safety and comfort, and maybe even happiness.

When the man had finally finished talking to Neal, explaining what exactly the job entailed, Neal agreed to take on the job. Once they had agreed on the payout, Neal told Keller that he expected only the best supplies to be brought to him, and Keller held up his end of the deal. The job went off without a hitch and at the tender age of twelve years and eight months, Neal Caffrey had forged his first stolen painting.

Neal continued to work with Keller, doing several more forgeries and even being part of the heist itself. He often felt bad about what he was doing, but he also liked the thrill of whatever con or theft they were pulling off. After nearly six months of continuous work, something happened that caused Neal to rethink his partnership with Keller and whoever was pulling his strings. Neal knew that Matthew Keller couldn't possibly be the mastermind behind some of the schemes they had pulled off. Keller was smart in a lot of ways, but not that smart.

On this particular heist, Neal and Keller were just leaving the jewelry store where they had changed out a beautiful rare pink diamond with a rather authentic-looking fake one. They were almost about to open the back door when it opened first to reveal the store owner, looking surprised to see two people standing in the back of his store. To Neal's complete horror, Keller pulled out a gun and pointed it at the now terrified man. Neal heard the chambering of the bullet, but before Keller could fire he raced ahead, knocking the gun out of Keller's hand and then knocking down the store owner. The man stayed down, completely knocked out, and Neal was pretty sure he would have a nasty headache when he woke up.

"Let's go," he yelled at Keller. "It's too dark for him to be able to identify us. Let's just get out of here."

Thankfully, Keller followed Neal, after he found his gun. To say that Matthew Keller was angry at Neal for his actions would be an understatement. He was completely furious, and for a moment Neal actually feared for his life. Neal reminded him repeatedly that they had finished the job and that it really was dark in that back room. The most the man could identify was that there were two people; one big, one small. Keller left Neal in a huff, telling him that his money would be left in the usual spot.

Neal went to sleep that night, vowing that his time with Matthew Keller was done.

* * *

In the few weeks that followed the jewelry store debacle, Neal decided to stay away from his usual haunts. This fortuitous decision was directly responsible for Neal's path finally crossing with Mozzie's. That day was one of the best days of his life, ranking right up there with the day he met Michael and Annie.

Mozzie was the most unique person Neal had ever met. He also was one of the smartest. Mozzie was quirky and eccentric, not to mention suspicious to a fault. Neal had heard of conspiracy theorists, but up to this point had never met one. Mozzie was the quintessential conspiracy theorist, but above all, Mozzie was kind and loyal. It didn't take long for a bond to form between the two con artists and they fell easily into a big brother/little brother type of relationship. There were a few times when Mozzie, who never admitted his true age, but was at least 20 years older than Neal, tried to assert an almost paternal authority over Neal. Neal, of course, balked at this like any normal teenager would, in his opinion. Mozzie thought that it was important that Neal have some form of formal education. Neal disagreed, arguing that all the education he needed could be had by experiencing the world. Mozzie eventually talked Neal into giving it a try, but that quickly fell apart.

Neal had been required to take a placement test to determine what grade was best for him. He and Mozzie had decided that he would try to come across as an average student, with average intelligence, which ended up placing Neal into the eighth grade. Starting a new school was never easy, but Neal's charming, suave personality and his adaptability easily helped him to fit in and make friends. Despite the fact that he actually didn't mind going to school, Neal still felt like he was wasting his time. It wasn't long, of course, before Neal got into trouble at school and required a parent/teacher conference. Mozzie showed up, acting as Neal's dad, completely appalled at the idea that they would accuse Neal of cheating. Neal's IQ, though never formally tested, was off the charts and the idea that he would have to cheat in World History, of all subjects, was absurd.

After a rather heated argument between Mozzie and Neal's teacher, the principal decided to allow Neal to take a different test, right there in front of them all. Neal aced the test again, causing his teacher to concede that he hadn't cheated in the first place. Once they had left the school, Neal stubbornly informed Mozzie that he would absolutely not being going back to school. Mozzie stubbornly disagreed, telling Neal that he had to go back. After another heated argument, this time between Mozzie and Neal, it was decided that Neal would give it another try.

It wasn't too long before Mozzie was summoned to the school again, this time because Neal had been caught writing term papers for some of the upperclassmen. It seemed that he had been charging them a hundred dollars apiece and had already written eight of them. Neal wasn't sure how he had been caught, but figured that someone had turned him in. He had a suspicion that it was probably one of the kids who had wanted him to write his paper, but couldn't pay up. When the kid told Neal that he didn't have the money, Neal ripped up the paper right in front of him. The kid hadn't been too happy.

Neal had been suspended for a whole week, which didn't upset him that much. When the week was up, Neal again stubbornly informed Mozzie that he wasn't going back. This time, Mozzie agreed. He finally understood that formal education wasn't the best thing for someone like Neal.

Neal continued to stay with Mozzie and their partnership worked well for the both of them. Because of Neal's look of innocence and his charming ways, he eventually became Mozzie's front man. He much preferred working with Mozzie and was glad that he had parted ways with Keller and his group. Mozzie's cons and schemes were more fun and less dangerous, and Neal trusted Mozzie completely. Things were going great for the both of them. They had exciting days, filled with the thrill of whatever con they were working, and relaxing nights, playing chess or reading books. Everything was perfect, until Matthew Keller reappeared in Neal's life.

* * *

Author's note: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I'll try to respond to each of you individually, but in case I don't, please know that I appreciate each and every one of them. Please let me know how you like the story so far. And, I promise we are getting closer to the moment Neal and Peter meet. It's coming soon…..


	5. Trust Is A Two-Way Street

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 5

* * *

Peter couldn't believe the way things had unfolded. He knew that they really hadn't had much time to come up with an foolproof plan, but he had hoped for a better outcome on the whole. Instead, they were left with a missing collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, a fifteen year old boy in their custody, and egg on their collective faces. The other two men that were part of the heist had somehow made an escape. Peter figured they had probably thrown the kid under the bus, not caring what really happened to him. Unfortunately, for the kid, it worked. Peter was just happy that they had not been left completely empty handed. Maybe the kid would be of some help.

After the kid had been arrested by NYPD, Jones had stepped in and taken him into FBI custody. Peter had instructed him to take the kid back to the White Collar office, place him in the smallest interrogation room, and leave him alone. He was hoping that by the time he showed up to talk to him, the kid would be either so scared or so bored that he would blab everything. It had worked on grown men, so it should work on a teenager, right?

Peter finished up a few things at the crime scene, and then headed back to the office. He figured he should probably call Elizabeth, since it seemed like he wouldn't be home for awhile. He really didn't know why his wife put up with all of his late hours and missed dinners. He would definitely have to do something nice for her once this case was over.

"Hey, hon," Peter said with a smile when a sleepy Elizabeth answered the phone. "I hate to say it, but I won't be home for a few more hours."

"Wow, Peter, it's already after midnight. What's going on?"

"We had a big break on a case, El. I need to go interrogate a kid that's either a witness or a culprit, we're not sure yet."

There was a pause where Peter thought that his wife might have fallen asleep. "El? Are you awake?"

"I'm here. Just wondering what you mean by a kid, Peter?" Elizabeth's voice had an edge to it, one that Peter recognized as a warning sign. Elizabeth was usually very calm, but definitely got riled up when she thought kids or animals might be in danger. Peter had always thought that she would be the greatest mother, but they had never been able to have children.

Peter tried to reassure her, but wasn't convinced that it worked. "He's fifteen, El, and I'll make sure that he's treated fairly."

"Peter, it's almost one in the morning. He should be in bed, not in some interrogation room. Can't you let him go home and do this at a more reasonable hour?"

"We can't, El. The kid isn't talking, so we don't even know his name. We can't find his parents, if we don't know his name, so he has no place to go." Peter cringed at the thought of what his wife would say to that.

"Well, you can't keep him in an interrogation room all night, Peter Burke. He's just a child and he's probably scared. You better figure this out soon, or I'll come down to the office and bring him home with me."

Peter had no doubt that his wife would do exactly that.

* * *

Once back in the office, Peter looked around at his agents, realizing that they all looked exhausted.

"Diana, I want you to come with me. The rest of you go on home and get some sleep. Tomorrow could be another long day." Peter watched as everyone but Diana scrambled to leave, not wanting to risk getting called back.

Diana and Peter walked to the interrogation room that currently housed a very bored, very hungry young man. Clinton was standing outside the door, watching the kid through the one-way mirror. Turning to the two approaching agents, he gave them a weary smile.

"He hasn't done much, since he's been in there, Peter. He's barely looked up from studying the table for the last two hours. I was beginning to wonder if there might be hidden messages on the table or something. I've never seen a kid sit so still, for so long. It's not right."

Peter watched through the mirror. It seemed odd to see a teenager sitting so still. The other odd thing was that the kid didn't look nervous or anxious at all. Instead, he looked like he could just be waiting for the commercials during his favorite TV show to be over, or for his popcorn to stop popping. He looked bored.

"Has he said anything yet?"

Clinton ran a hand over his face. "Not a single word, Peter. It's not right!"

Without saying anything else, Peter opened the door, ready to get some answers.

* * *

Neal knew that the mirror on the wall was a one-way mirror, and that the likelihood that someone was on the other side watching him was pretty high. Because of this, he tried to stay as calm and still as possible. He didn't want to give them any reason to think that he was scared or nervous.

Going over the events of the night, Neal figured that he was in a lot of trouble. Everything had gone as planned, right until the very end. They were in and out of the building within twenty minutes. Neal knew that they hadn't tripped any alarms. He knew that no one had seen them break in, but suddenly, when they were almost in the clear, they had heard the dreaded "Freeze, FBI!" that every criminal hoped they would never hear.

What happened next was sort of a blur to Neal. He, Keller and Smitty had taken off running, and Neal thought for a very small second in time that they actually were going to make it. He never expected Keller to tear the bag out of his grip and push him to the ground, but thinking back on it, he wasn't really surprised. He had always known that he had to watch his back around Keller. Mozzie had just reminded him of that earlier in the day.

Before Neal could get to his feet, he was surrounded by both NYPD officers and FBI agents. For the first time in his life, Neal found himself in the back of a law enforcement vehicle, being driven to the New York branch of the FBI White Collar division. He hadn't uttered a single word while in the presence of the agent driving him. He hadn't uttered a single word while the agent tried to question him. He knew the poor agent was getting frustrated with his silence, but he didn't give in.

He had been tempted several times to speak, especially once his need for the bathroom became apparent to him. But, there was no way that he was going to give them what they wanted, at least not yet. He held his ground.

When the door opened, Neal chanced a quick glance up at another tired looking agent. This one was older and bigger, and he looked unhappy. Neal's first thought was that he didn't think he would want to see this man get angry. His second thought was that the man needed to loosen up a bit and that he really needed a new wardrobe. The tie he was wearing looked older than Neal himself.

* * *

Peter towered over the young man sitting at the table before him. He didn't want to completely intimidate the kid, but a healthy dose of fear wouldn't be remiss. He was a little surprised that the boy didn't flinch or even blink. 'What's up with this kid?' Peter thought to himself. 'What's his story?'

"Hi. I'm Special Agent Peter Burke." Peter tried to keep his tone of voice amiable enough to somewhat put the boy at ease. "I need you to answer a few questions for me, okay?"

The boy didn't move an inch. Other than the rise and fall of his chest or the occasional blink of his eyes, he was as still as a statue. Peter sat down in the chair directly across from him, trying a different approach. Looking closely at the kid, Peter could make out the finest tremor. Even though he was trying hard not to show it, the kid was scared and Peter felt a small tug at his heart.

"Listen, I'm tired and I know you have to be tired, too. If you could just answer a few questions for me, we can clear this up and you can go home. I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you." Peter watched the boy closely and thought that, perhaps, there was the slightest slump of his shoulders, but still no answer.

"Okay, let's start with something simple. I don't want to have to keep calling you "kid," so how about you just give me a name. That's it, just a name."

Peter was about to try a different question when a quiet, but strong voice finally answered.

"Neal. My name's Neal."

"Thank you, Neal," Peter answered. "Do you need anything, Neal? Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Peter had noticed that the young man had started to squirm slightly and figured that the poor kid probably needed the bathroom. He really wanted Neal to ask for what he needed, though.

"Could I please use the bathroom?" Neal was looking more and more miserable by the second.

"Sure thing, Neal." Peter motioned for Agent Jones, who quickly opened the door. "Jones, could you escort Neal to the bathroom, please?"

Once Jones and Neal had gone, Peter sent Diana to get some food and something to drink for Neal. He knew the kid had to be hungry and he really didn't want Elizabeth to find out that they had left him in the interrogation room for hours without seeing to his needs. Plus, he was just a scared little boy, in over his head.

Suddenly, Peter had a sneaking suspicion that he really shouldn't trust Neal. For all he knew, the kid could be some kind of a con artist. Peter ran out the door and headed toward the bathroom, only to be nearly knocked over by Neal. "Whoa, there, kid. Where do you think you're going? We're not even close to being done." Peter grabbed Neal by the upper arm and not too gently pulled him back to the small room.

"Sit!" Peter pointed at the chair Neal had been sitting in for hours. Diana had brought back the food and now there was a turkey sandwich, a bag of chips and a Dr. Pepper sitting in front of him. Neal looked longingly at it before finally giving in.

"Neal, we have a problem here. I don't know about you, but I want to go home. But, I can't go home, because you're not answering my questions. Do you see the problem?"

Neal gave Peter a smile that probably worked on everyone he used it on. Except Peter.

"I answered your question, Peter. I told you my name, didn't I?"

Peter nearly laughed at the audacity of the kid sitting in front of him. "That's Special Agent Burke to you. And, you just gave me your first name, which does me absolutely no good. I need to call your parents, Neal. What are their names? How about a number?'

Neal just looked at Peter, slowly eating his sandwich. Peter had never seen a teenager eat anything so meticulously. This kid was like nothing he had ever seen.

* * *

By three in the morning, they were no further along in the investigation than when they first started. Peter's temper was on a very short fuse by this time, and Neal was still just as frustratingly calm as ever. Diana and Jones had pulled up chairs outside the room and were taking turns catnapping.

Peter looked at Neal, who looked calmly back at him, his frustration finally getting the better of him.

"Damn it, Neal! I'm done. If you don't want to cooperate, you leave me with no choice." Peter stood up, calling for Diana and Jones. "Diana, go home. Get some sleep. Jones, bring the car around. I need you to escort Neal to Crossroads. Since he won't tell us who he is and we don't know what his involvement in tonight's heist is, he'll have to stay there."

Peter couldn't miss the look of panic that quickly crossed Neal's face. He also thought that the boy looked a shade or two paler than just minutes ago.

"What's Crossroads?" Neal couldn't stop the tremble in his voice and Peter picked up on it easily.

"Crossroads Juvenile Center. It's a secure detention facility that will be your new home until you cooperate. We can't help you Neal, if you don't help yourself." Peter turned to Jones. "Clinton, get him checked in, give them my name and number as contact information, and tell them we'll be in touch."

Without another word, Peter turned and walked out the door.

* * *

Author's note: Boy, Neal sure is being stubborn. Can you really blame Peter for doing what he did? Thanks for reading, ya'll. If you wouldn't mind, please take the time to review. It would be so nice to see what people like or don't like about the story and could definitely help me figure a few things out. I'd love to hear your thoughts.


	6. Sticks And Stones

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 6

* * *

Neal sat in the back of the vehicle being driven by Agent Jones, more miserable than he had been in a very long time. In fact, he truly felt like crying. Agent Jones kept throwing him glances in the rearview mirror, but Neal just tried to ignore them.

Since it was now almost four in the morning, the drive to Crossroads Juvenile Center had only taken a short time. Agent Jones pulled up to the first security checkpoint, showed his credentials and drove through the gate. Neal sat in the back, feeling the apprehension building in him. He tried to look as nonchalant as he could, but the anxiety threatened to boil over. He knew that if he allowed himself to give in to it, there would be no coming back. As the agent parked the car, Neal put himself through a few breathing exercises, something he had been taught by Annie Baylor after suffering through a series of awful nightmares.

Jones led Neal into the building and began the rather long process of signing him in. The agent made sure that they were aware that Neal was there as a hold only. Neal learned from the conversation going on before him that "holds" were supposed to be kept separate from the general detention population. This gave Neal a little fragment of peace, but he wasn't too convinced that things actually worked the way they were supposed to in this place. Neal was eventually led away from Agent Jones, who told him that Agent Burke would be there to see him later on that day.

An hour later, Neal had been processed into the detention facility, which included a very demeaning body search by a man who seemed to care very little for his job. Once he had been led to his room, Neal crawled onto the bed, curled into a ball, and finally allowed the tears to fall.

* * *

Peter woke with a pounding headache, probably having to do with the fact that he had barely slept four hours. He could hear Elizabeth downstairs, presumably making breakfast, and decided to take a shower before facing her.

Fifteen minutes later, he finally made it downstairs, looking forward to eating whatever it was that smelled so delicious. Elizabeth was already sitting at the table, coffee in hand, looking beautiful.

"Good morning, hon." Peter leaned over and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for making breakfast. It smells delicious."

Before Peter even had the chance to sit down, Elizabeth started her inquisition.

"Well? What happened? Did you get him to talk? Did you find his parents?"

Peter knew Elizabeth wasn't going to like what he had to say, but he knew she expected the truth. He braced himself for her response. "We finally got him to tell us his name, but only his first name. He wouldn't tell us anything else, El. No matter what I tried, he wouldn't talk. We had NYPD check to see if there were any reports of missing kids fitting his description, but that was a dead end. We tried for hours, but that kid is the most stubborn kid I've ever known. He actually even tried to escape. I think he might have succeeded, too, if he had tried it one minute earlier."

"Where is he now, Peter?"

"We had no choice, but to send him to Crossroads, El. We couldn't hold him at the office, and there was nowhere else for him to go." Peter noticed the determined look on his wife's face and again braced himself for what was coming.

"Peter, you can't leave him there. You know what that place is like! Remember what happened to Micah? You have to get him out of there!" Elizabeth was in a near panic, remembering how her best friend's son, Micah, had nearly been beaten to death by other juveniles in that facility just last year. He had been sent there after he and a few friends had decided to borrow a car and go for a joyride. Elizabeth remembered accompanying a very scared Rachel to the hospital to see her son. She would never forget how awful Micah looked, lying in that hospital bed.

"El, you don't even know this kid. Why are you getting so upset?" Peter knew right away that that had been the wrong thing to say. At least, judging by the glare his wife was giving him. He knew that she was always a champion for the underdog, and this kid was definitely an underdog.

"I can't believe you just said that," Elizabeth cried. "Peter, he's just a child. And it sounds like maybe he doesn't have anyone to care what happens to him. Why else wouldn't there be a missing person report for him? Why didn't anyone search for him when he didn't come home last night?"

"I don't know, El, but I promise I'm doing everything I can. It doesn't help that he's not ready to help himself. I gave him every opportunity I could, before resorting to sending him there. And I made sure they knew that he's only there on a hold. That will keep him safer for now." Peter really was trying to convince himself of that, as well, but he knew that things didn't always work out like they should.

Elizabeth wasn't satisfied with the answer Peter gave, but she did trust that he really was doing all he could.

"What's his name?

Peter didn't understand why Elizabeth wanted to know, but he told her anyway.

"It's Neal. His name is Neal."

* * *

Peter went into the office before driving out to the detention facility. He wanted to check in and see if there were any new developments, but quickly found out that there was nothing. Within an hour, he was back in his car and on his way to Crossroads.

He didn't know why, but his stomach had been in knots all morning. What was it about this kid that had both him and Elizabeth feeling unsettled? Peter couldn't put a name to it really, but he guessed he was feeling somewhat protective of the young man. There was something about the way Neal had looked at him, right before he walked out the door, that had Peter troubled. For the briefest of seconds, Neal had looked terrified, and Peter felt responsible for putting that look in his eyes. The frustrating thing for Peter, though, was that he really felt like he had done the only thing he could do. He had limited options, even if he didn't like them.

Once Peter had made it through the security checks, he informed them that he needed to meet with Neal. He didn't miss the look that passed between the two guards that led him into the meeting room, and his stomach flipped madly. He had a bad feeling that something had happened to the boy, but how was that possible in such a short time?

Peter sat at the table, nervously watching for Neal to come through the door. When the door finally opened, Peter's heart skipped a beat and his throat tightened at the sight before him.

* * *

Neal didn't know how he felt when he was informed that he had a visitor. He had hoped with all his might that it was Mozzie, there to help him escape, but then he had hoped that it was Special Agent Peter Burke. He didn't know why, but the thought of Agent Burke being there made him feel safer. He knew the agent was frustrated with him, after last night, but he also thought that maybe he could trust the man.

Trust was a hard thing for Neal. There had only been a few people in his life that held his trust. Mozzie was, of course, one of them. Michael and Annie Baylor were also on his short list. He imagined that he had once trusted his mother, but that hadn't lasted long at all. What was it about Agent Burke that enlisted that feeling in him now? Neal had no idea, but he was willing to trust his feelings for the time being. What other option did he have?

Once the guards opened the door, Neal shuffled in, trying to keep his head down. He knew that he looked awful, and he was embarrassed that Peter had to see him like this. He didn't want anyone thinking that he couldn't take care of himself.

"What the hell happened?" Peter stood up so quickly that his chair was knocked over. "Neal? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Peter," Neal answered. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"The hell it's not, kid! It looks to me like you have a black eye, a fat lip, and a huge bruise on your jaw. You're also limping. What happened?" Peter stepped around the table and gently led Neal to the only remaining upright chair in the room.

"Did he get checked out in the infirmary?" Peter asked the guard standing by the door, as his eyes roved over Neal's figure.

"He refused. Said it wasn't that bad."

"Are you kidding me? He could have a broken jaw. He's fifteen years old, he shouldn't have a say on whether he needs to see a doctor." Peter was furious. How could they allow a fifteen year old to dictate whether or not he needed medical care? Especially this fifteen year old!

"As soon as we're done here, I want him checked out by a doctor. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," the guard replied.

Turning back to Neal, Peter continued to check out his injuries.

"Why in the world did you refuse medical care, Neal? It's obvious that you're in a lot of pain."

"I've had worse, Peter."

"That really doesn't make me feel, better, Neal. And it's Agent Burke, remember? Now, before I start asking the questions I came here to ask, I want to know what happened. Who did this to you?"

Neal slumped lower in his seat, looking away from Peter. There was no way he could tell, even if he knew who the kids were. He knew better than to snitch on anyone.

"I don't know. I went to take a shower this morning and someone nailed me as I walked in the bathroom. There were three of them, and they were a lot bigger than me, so I didn't stand a chance. I did get a few good licks in, though. I'm not totally helpless, you know."

"I think I'm beginning to learn that about you, Neal. Among other things. Did they say anything to you? Do you have any idea why they did this?" Peter watched the boy closely and knew that he was trying to come up with a believable story. "I want the truth, Neal."

"I don't know, Peter. I was in the middle of getting my ass kicked, so I wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying."

By this time, Neal was on his feet and yelling, causing the guard to step in a little closer. Peter help up a hand, indicating to the guard to back off a bit. The last thing he wanted was for Neal to feel cornered.

"Believe it or not, I'm trying to help you, Neal. I have been all along." Peter watched as Neal appeared to be trying to calm himself down. "Listen, kid, I thought you would be safe here. If I had known that something like this would happen, I wouldn't have left you here. Now, I really want to get you out of here, but in order for me to do that, you have to start talking. Okay?"

Neal looked at Peter for the longest time, before finally nodding. "I'll tell you what I can, Peter."

* * *

Almost two hours later, Neal had told Peter the whole story. Well, more like an abbreviated story, but Peter knew the important parts, at least. Peter wasn't a fool. He knew that Neal had been careful with the information he had given out. He knew that Neal was protecting someone, and he was just glad that the kid had someone that he wanted to protect. Hopefully, that meant that the kid wasn't entirely alone in this world.

In order to get Neal to start talking, Peter had to promise in writing that Neal would be protected. He also wanted to negotiate a deal, which Peter had to clear with Hughes first. Stepping outside, Peter had a brief conversation with his boss, then returned to offer Neal the best deal he could. Finally, after Neal was satisfied with the offer on the table, he started talking.

After hearing the story, Peter had another problem. Neal had told him that a man by the name of Matthew Keller was behind these heists. Neal figured that there was actually another man above Keller, but he had no idea who. Keller and his lackeys were the only ones he had ever dealt with. Peter knew who Matthew Keller was. They had suspected him of being involved in this string of heists, as well as other jobs spanning many years, but could never find the evidence to support their suspicions. Keller was well known to the FBI as a ruthless and dangerous man, and it frightened Peter to know that Neal was involved with him.

It frightened Peter even more when he discovered how Neal was involved. Neal was extremely reluctant to tell Peter anything, still not completely convinced that Peter wouldn't throw him to the wolves, but finally the truth came out. Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. How in the world was a fifteen year old boy such a proficient forger that his forgeries had gone largely undetected? How was that possible?

When Peter finally felt like he had all the information he needed for the moment, he told the guard to take Neal to the infirmary and keep him there until further notice. Neal refused at first; afraid that Peter would leave and not come back, but eventually gave in to Peter's reassurances that he wouldn't do that. As Neal walked past him, Peter gently squeezed his shoulder, offering what little support he could. For now, it was enough.

* * *

Author's note: Well, it looks like things are looking up for our two boys, but I wouldn't take the seatbelt off just yet. There's a lot more to come. And, I promise that the meeting of Neal and Elizabeth is coming soon. Thanks for reading and PLEASE review. Your reviews are sustenance for me. They give me energy and motivation to keep going on. You guys are awesome!


	7. Baseball And A Ford Taurus

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 7

* * *

Neal waited for what seemed like hours in the infirmary for Peter to return. The doctor had examined him and determined that there were no facial fractures from his beating, reassuring Neal that the tissue injury would heal long before the bruising would fade. His hip was just bruised, as well, from where one of his attackers had repeatedly kicked him.

Neal wasn't really worried about how quickly he would heal. He wasn't lying when he told Peter that he had had worse. You didn't live on the streets for years without running into trouble every now and again. He had to admit, though, that this time had been scarier than usual, probably due to the fact that the three kids were huge and he figured that they were somehow doing Keller's dirty work.

That Keller would have the ability to get to Neal so quickly, while he was locked up no less, was no surprise to Neal. He knew that Keller had far-reaching connections. He had witnessed just how low Keller would stoop and just how far he would go, especially if he felt threatened. Keller would be expecting Neal to turn on him and would do whatever he had to do to prevent that.

* * *

To say that Peter Burke was frustrated would be a complete understatement. Dealing with bureaucracy was never his strong point, but he had done it enough in his job to know that there was nothing he could do about it. He paced the office floor, waiting for the paperwork to come through that would allow him to take Neal out of Crossroads. After witnessing the effects of leaving Neal here for less than 8 hours, he easily decided that there was absolutely no way he was leaving this place without the child.

While he was waiting, he called Jones and Diana, brainstorming with both of them to come up with a solution as to what their next step would be. They really had nothing to hold Neal on legally, because other than the fact that the kid was at the scene of a crime, there was no evidence of his actual involvement. Because of this, Neal didn't require lockup. Peter, however, knew that he couldn't just release Neal. He knew that Matthew Keller wouldn't hesitate to track Neal down to keep him from talking. Peter had no proof, but his gut told him that the attack on Neal that morning was on Keller. The kid needed protection.

Jones thought that placing Neal in a safe house was their best option, but Hughes swiftly shot that down, arguing that they didn't have the staff for that. Hughes thought that the best thing would be to leave the kid where he was, but before he could even finish his thought, Peter informed him, in no uncertain terms, that that was absolutely not an option. A kid like Neal didn't belong in a place like Crossroads.

While Peter knew that it was imperative to protect Neal from Keller, he also knew that it was just as important to protect Neal from himself. He had no doubt that the boy would run at the first chance he got. He also had no doubt that if that happened, Neal would be nearly impossible to track down. It was just a gut feeling, but Peter's gut feelings were almost always right. Peter voiced his concerns about Neal's inclination and tendency to run with both Jones and Diana.

Just when Peter was beginning to think that the only way to protect Neal from Keller, as well as preventing him from running the first chance he got, was by chaining the kid to a wall or putting him in solitary confinement, Diana spoke up. "Hey, boss, what about using a tracking anklet? If he ever ran, we'd be able to find him easily enough."

"I like the idea of the tracker, Diana, that actually might work. But, we still need to figure out where to put him. He needs to be with someone who can keep an extremely close eye on him and protect him, at least until we get Keller." Peter's headache was coming back full force and he wanted nothing more than to go home, pet his dog, curl up on the couch with either a beer or his wife, and forget that he had ever heard the name Matthew Keller.

"Well, boss, I think there is only one real option here," Diana said. "You're going to have to assume custody of him."

Peter nearly spit out the cold coffee he had been drinking. "What? You can't be serious. Why would I do that? We need to let the Marshals handle this, like we would any other material witness."

Diana gave a small laugh. "I'm just trying to save us time, boss. We can let the U.S. Marshals take over, but you and I both know that's not the best solution. You were the only one that could get the kid to talk. He seems to have the slightest bit of trust in you, for some reason, and handing him over to the Marshals will only ensure that he clams up again. We need more information on Keller and whoever is pulling his strings, and that kid is our only resource."

"Diana, in case you forgot, I work for a living. The logistics of taking him home with me are insane. What happens when I have to go to work? And what about Elizabeth? Do you think she'd be happy if I brought some random kid home?" Peter knew his reasoning was pathetic, but he really didn't see how it would work. He could still hear Diana laughing on her end of the phone and, frankly, he was getting annoyed.

"Peter, the logistics are easy. It will only be for a short time, so we can easily afford to have an off-duty agent sit on him at your house when we need to. I know that there are plenty of agents that would volunteer their time for you. I also know that there is a lot you can do right from your home and I'm sure that Hughes would okay that. As for Elizabeth? Peter, how can you think for a single moment that she wouldn't jump at the chance to take care of the kid? Have you met your wife? I have, and I know that she would love it."

Peter's stomach felt like it was eating itself. Was this really the best option? He knew that the Marshals would be able to physically protect Neal, but he had to admit that he was concerned for the boy's emotional well-being. The kid tried so hard to look as if he wasn't scared, but Peter easily saw through that. The Marshals wouldn't necessarily worry about anything much more than his physical safety. Neal needed more than that, though. He really was just a scared kid.

"I don't know the first thing about kids, Diana." Peter knew his answers were getting more and more pathetic. "I don't know how to relate to them, especially teenagers. It's like they're speaking a different language."

Diana laughed again. "I think you and Neal were relating to each other just fine. Besides, you'll have Elizabeth there as a buffer."

Peter couldn't believe the words that left his mouth next. "Okay, see what you can do to get this rolling. I'll call Elizabeth; make sure she's okay with this."

* * *

Elizabeth answered the phone on the third ring, asking Peter immediately what was going on with Neal. Peter didn't want to tell her about the attack on Neal that morning, but knew that he should warn her, before she laid eyes on him.

"Before I tell you this, El, I want you to know that I'm getting him out of Crossroads today. He won't be staying another night."

"What happened, Peter? Is he okay? I told you he shouldn't be there. I told you…."

Peter interrupted his wife before she could work herself into a frenzy. "Hon, he's okay, I promise. There was an incident this morning. Three boys cornered him in the bathroom and threw a few punches. He's a little bruised, but he's fine. The facility doctor is checking him out, as we speak."

"Oh, Peter, I knew something like this would happen," Elizabeth cried. "So what happens now? Where will he go?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, hon. Because of the case, he needs protection. We also need to keep him close, because he is the only resource available for this case we're working. The only decent option available right now is for someone in the White Collar office to take him into protective custody, and the team is trying to clear that with Reece. Then, we will need to find someone willing and able to open up their home to him." Peter hesitated at this point, not sure if he could go on. "Diana seems to think that I'm the best choice, but I'm not sure. I don't even really like kids, El, and this particular one seems like a handful."

Peter had barely said the last word when Elizabeth exploded in excitement. "Of course, you're the best choice, Peter. And, it doesn't matter if you like kids. He needs a home and we just happen to have one. Bring him here."

Peter couldn't help the smile that Elizabeth's words brought. "No promises, Elizabeth. Reece might not go for it, but you should get the guest room ready, just in case."

* * *

Agent Burke had been gone for nearly three hours and Neal was starting to panic. The agent had reassured him that he wouldn't leave without him, but Neal was beginning to think that maybe he had lied. Looking around him, Neal started planning his escape. He knew that it would be nearly impossible to escape this place, but he had to try. There was no way he was staying here another night, a sitting duck for Keller's minions.

He had just noticed the ambulance bay door behind him and, seeing no one around at the moment, he jumped down from the bed he was on. Neal had learned early on to act normal when trying to get away with something, so he walked casually over to the door. He was just about to try the door when he heard a voice right behind him.

"What are you doing, Neal?" Peter asked, angrily. This was the second time in less than twenty-four hours the kid had tried to escape. Peter hoped this wasn't going to be a common theme with him.

"Peter! I thought you left." Somehow, Neal managed to look both nervous and relieved at the same time.

"I told you I'd be back, didn't I? And it's Agent Burke, remember?"

Neal rolled his eyes at Peter's last words. The guy was so hung up on the name thing, for some reason, and Neal found it funny to keep annoying him. "I was just trying to get some fresh air. It smells bad in here."

This time, Peter rolled his eyes. "Really? That's the answer you're going with?"

"It's as good an answer as any, isn't it?" Neal looked sheepishly at the man he hoped was going to get him out of this prison. "So, when are we leaving?"

Peter looked around, surprised to find the room empty. "I need to talk to the doctor first. Where is he and why did he leave you alone?"

"Well, you've been gone for hours, Peter. You can't expect him to stay right here the whole time. He probably has lives to save. Besides, he said I'm fine. I'll be better in a few days."

"I hope you don't mind if I don't take your word on that. I'm going to go find him and you better be right here when I get back. Understand?" Peter looked pointedly at Neal, who gave him a mischievous smile. "On second thought, you're coming with me. I don't trust you."

"Peter, you wound me," Neal cheekily replied.

"IT'S AGENT BURKE!"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Peter was satisfied with the report the doctor had given him. Thirty minutes later, the paperwork was finally completed and Peter was leading Neal out to his car.

"A Taurus? Really? You drive a Taurus?" Neal couldn't stop the giggle that escaped him. "I figured you for a Beamer or something."

"What part of me being a federal agent do you not understand, Neal? My salary doesn't allow for a fancy car. Besides, the Taurus is a great car. It gets me where I need to go, when I need to get there."

"Yeah, but don't you want to go in style?" Neal eyed the man opening the door for him. "Never mind, it's apparent that style isn't really your thing. I could help you with that, if you want."

"Get in the car, kid!"

* * *

Once they were in the car, it seemed that everything turned into a battle. Neal didn't want to put on his seatbelt, arguing that as long as Peter was a good driver, he wouldn't need it. Peter refused to put the car in gear until Neal buckled up, arguing that he was a good driver, but he couldn't vouch for the other people on the road. Finally, after threatening to make Neal sit in the back seat and buckling him in himself, Neal caved, putting his seatbelt on with a scowl on his face.

Next, it was the argument over the temperature. Neal said he was hot and played with the buttons until it read 60 degrees. Peter promptly turned it up to 70. Neal rolled his window down. Peter rolled it back up. Neal reached for the temperature controls again. Peter smacked his hand lightly. Neal rolled his window down again. Peter rolled it back up, this time putting the child lock on. Throwing an exasperated glance over to the boy, Peter finally turned the control down to 65 degrees.

Once the climate issue was settled, Peter turned on the radio, happy to hear that the Yankees game was on. Before he knew what was happening, Neal reached out and fiddled with the radio, scanning through the channels for music he liked.

"Hey, I was listening to the game," Peter said.

"I don't like baseball," Neal said, succinctly.

Peter looked at Neal as if he had suddenly grown two heads. "You don't like baseball? How is that possible?"

"I don't know, Peter. I'm still trying to figure out how it's possible that I'm riding in a Ford Taurus."

* * *

Neal had never been so happy to get out of a car. The ride wasn't bad, but he couldn't take much more of Agent Burke and his control issues. The guy needed help. Neal thought the old man might actually have a stroke or something; at least it looked like it whenever Neal tried to touch anything.

Neal had asked Peter several times where they were going, but the agent didn't answer him. It wasn't until much later that he finally figured it out. Neal knew the area they were driving in fairly well and decided that they were probably heading back to the FBI building. He wasn't sure what that actually meant for him, he was just happy that this nightmare ride was finally over.

* * *

Peter had never been so happy to get out of a car, either. The kid had driven him crazy with his constant fidgeting and fiddling, leading Peter to feel like he was about to have a stroke. The kid needed help…..or medication… or something.

When he wasn't fidgeting and fiddling, he was constantly asking questions. Peter tried to ignore him and focus on listening to the game on the radio, but the kid was a stubborn little thing. Peter had never before been so relieved to see the FBI building. What kind of kid didn't like baseball, anyway?! And what was wrong with driving a Ford Taurus?

* * *

Author's note: Wow! That was a long one. So, I don't mean to harp on the subject, but I would love it if more readers would leave a review. My reader count seems to have good numbers, but so few people are reviewing. I'm hoping that the almost 6,000 viewer counts mean that you all are enjoying the story so far, but I would love some feedback. Just a few words to let me know what you like or don't like, or what you might want to see in the future.

But, truly, whether you take the time to review or not, I am so very happy that you've chosen to read my story. Thank you so, so much.

By the way... how adorable was Neal in this chapter!? I wasn't really happy with this chapter at first, but after several edits, I think it's one of my favorites. Neal in the car cracked me up.

Next chapter: Peter and Neal continue to get to know each other, with a few bumps along the way. Plus, Neal and Elizabeth will meet, too. Yay!


	8. Always A Con, Never A Boy Scout

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 8

* * *

Neal sat in a chair next to Peter's desk, listening to the chatter going on around him. His request to go look around the office area below had been rejected before he was even done asking. He felt like hours had gone by, but in actuality it had been little over an hour. Finally, someone had thrown a sketchbook and some charcoal pencils in front of him to keep him occupied. Neal spent the next little bit working on a caricature of an angry Peter, as he had looked in the car earlier. A few of the agents surrounding him couldn't keep from snickering when they saw it. Neal was pretty sure Peter wouldn't find it amusing.

Thirty minutes later, Neal was bored again. He started playing with the few items on Peter's desk, earning him a glare from Peter. He leaned back in his chair and kicked his legs up on the desk, causing Peter to sigh rather loudly, before pushing Neal's feet to the floor. At one point, he even started humming, causing the conversation around him to come to a stop. Neal wasn't trying to be disruptive. He was just really, really bored.

"That's it," Peter said, when Neal started tapping his fingers on the desk. "Jones, would you please take Neal down to the cafeteria? Maybe grab some food and head down to the fountain? I think we could all use a break from his boredom." Peter made sure he had Neal's attention before continuing. "Behave yourself, Neal. Understand?"

Neal rolled his eyes at Peter's words. "Come on, Peter, we're just getting lunch. How much trouble can I get into?"

Peter looked frankly at Neal before turning to Jones. "Don't let him out of your sight, Jones."

"Sure thing, boss. I won't take my eyes off him."

Neal let the front legs of his chair fall back to the floor. "Finally! I really thought my head was going to explode, for a bit. Let's get out of here, Agent Jones, before Peter changes his mind."

The other agents in the room couldn't keep from laughing. It was completely obvious that Special Agent Peter Burke had his work cut out for him.

* * *

Once Neal and Jones had left, Peter was able to focus on the issue at hand. It seemed that there was precedent for the use of the tracking anklet on a child sentenced to house arrest, so with Reece's approval, the U.S. Marshal's Office brought over a GPS tracking anklet. Unfortunately, Neal and Jones weren't back yet, so the Marshal had to wait downstairs.

While they were all waiting for the return of Neal and Jones, they started hammering out the rest of their plans. Peter asked for off-duty volunteers to watch over the house whenever he had to leave, and almost everyone in the room immediately offered their help. Diana offered to whip up some kind of schedule and to try to drum up more help, just in case.

Hughes was okay with Peter doing whatever work he could from home, with the understanding that he would come in whenever he was needed. Peter agreed immediately.

Once they felt they had covered all the bases, the group of agents dispersed, leaving Peter, Diana and Hughes to talk over a few other things. Hughes still wasn't convinced that this was the best idea, but he was willing to do whatever he could to make it work.

* * *

Peter was starting to get worried that something had happened to Neal, when the door to the White Collar unit opened to reveal a very unhappy Agent Jones and a guilty looking Neal. Jones gripped Neal's arm tightly as he hauled him up the stairs. Once Neal was securely back in Peter's office, Jones turned to motion for the US Marshal to come back up.

"The kid tried to escape," Jones said, rather tersely. "I chased him for half a block before I caught up with him. If it hadn't been so crowded at the fountain, he probably would have gotten away."

Peter glared at Neal, causing the boy to shift uncomfortably. Without saying a word to Neal, Peter motioned for the Marshal to place the tracking anklet on Neal.

"What is that?" Neal asked, and then suddenly figuring it out on his own, he gave Peter an incredulous look. "You really don't expect me to wear that all the time, do you? Is that even legal? I have rights, you know."

"Neal, you just tried to escape for the third time! So, yes, we do expect you to wear it all the time. You do have rights, but unless you want to go back to Crossroads, this is your only option. I suggest you get used to the idea of wearing this for now. And just so you know, it's unbreakable and can only be deactivated by the U.S. Marshal's office, or by me."

Neal didn't have an answer for that, but the look on his face told Peter all he needed to know. Peter saw just the smallest look of betrayal cross over Neal's face, before he masked it. They would definitely have to talk about this later.

A few minutes later, the Marshal stood up, having finally placed the anklet properly. After a few words with Peter, he turned to Neal. "This device is expensive, kid. Don't do anything stupid."

Neal started to say something in return, but the sound of Peter clearing his throat stopped him. Instead, he just gave the Marshal a small smile, earning himself a look of approval from Peter. Neal thought that he could get used to that.

* * *

Eventually, Peter's work was done at the office and he finally gathered Neal up to go home. Neal didn't hesitate to follow Peter out of the building. He was more than ready to leave the lion's den, and he wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was exhausted. Once Neal was in the car, though, doubt started to set in. Suddenly, he was terrified of what was about to happen. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, least of all himself, but he was scared that he might start to care a little too much for the Burkes, like he had with Michael and Annie. He was pretty sure that his heart wouldn't withstand another heart break.

The ride home was made mostly in silence. Peter was surprised that Neal hadn't pulled any of his earlier shenanigans once they were in the car. Instead, the boy had been sitting quietly, watching the passing scenery, as still as a statue. Peter wasn't sure he liked this subdued Neal and wondered what was bothering him.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it?" Peter asked.

It took Neal a few long seconds to answer. "The longest."

"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for this day to be over."

"Yeah."

Peter tried a few more things to get the kid to talk, but nothing seemed to work. Neal barely answered him and when he did, it was with the barest minimum of words. Normally, the kid couldn't sit still or stop talking for more than 30 seconds, which drove Peter crazy, but this was almost worse.

"Neal, is something bothering you? What's going on?"

After a long enough silence that Peter thought the boy might have fallen asleep, Neal finally answered.

"Why are you doing this, Peter? If you let me go, I could just go back to my life and everything would be better."

"You're right, Neal. I could let you go and you could go back to wherever you came from, but I don't think that's a good idea. Matthew Keller is still out there, and until we have what we need to arrest him, you're not safe."

"I can take care of myself, Peter. I've been doing it since I was almost nine."

"I disagree, Neal," Peter countered. "If you were really able to take care of yourself, you wouldn't be in this situation, would you? You would have known to steer clear of the likes of Keller. You wouldn't have taken part in any forgeries or heists. You would be living like a normal child."

"I'm not a child, Peter, especially not a normal one." If looks could kill, Peter figured there was no way he could survive the one Neal was throwing at him. "Besides," Neal continued, angrily, "you barely know me! You're really willing to let some kid you don't even know into your house? What about your wife? Is she really okay with you bringing home a stray?"

Peter watched the boy closely. "Of course, she's okay with this. She loves strays." Neal didn't respond in the slightest to Peter's words. "Come on, kid. That was supposed to be a joke."

When Neal still didn't respond, Peter suddenly pulled the car to the side of the road, causing the car behind him to honk, as it swerved around him.

"What are you doing, Peter?" Neal asked.

"We obviously need to talk, Neal. Something's bothering you, so let's figure it out, okay?"

"I don't want to talk, Peter. I just want to get out of this car. Can you just drive? Please?"

Peter looked at the small boy sitting next to him, trying to figure out what to do next. He could see that Neal wasn't going to open up anytime soon, so he started the car up and steered back onto the road. Eventually, he would figure out what was going on.

* * *

Peter pulled into a parking space a few houses down from his. He could see that Elizabeth had turned on most of the lights in the house, giving it a welcoming look. He noticed Neal eyeing the different houses on the road, but he didn't make any attempt to get out of the car.

"It's that one right there, Neal," Peter said, pointing his house out to him. "Elizabeth probably has dinner ready, so we should get in there."

Neal slowly got out of the car, looking like he was about to run.

"Come on, kid. She's been waiting all day to meet you." Peter placed his arm around Neal's shoulder, gently leading him to the house.

Peter opened the door, allowing Neal to walk in ahead of him. The house smelled delicious and Neal's mouth started watering immediately. How was it possible that he could be so hungry, and yet feel like he wanted to throw up at the same time? He really didn't know why he was so nervous about meeting Peter's wife. Maybe it had something to do with him feeling like he was intruding in their lives. He hadn't had the greatest luck with women in his life, other than Annie. Even his own mother had found him to be a burden. Neal didn't think he could handle anyone else feeling that way about him.

He was just about to turn and run out the door when he heard the sound of something rather excited coming towards him. A second later he was overtaken by the friendliest dog he had ever seen. The dog had practically knocked him over in his attempt to lick his face.

"Satchmo, come on, boy," Peter said loudly, trying to get the dog to calm down. Instead, Satchmo just jumped up, throwing his front paws over Neal's shoulder.

"Hon, is that you?" Elizabeth came out of the kitchen, drying her hands off on a dish towel. "You're just in time. I just finished dinner."

Neal watched as she walked closer to them, his heart pounding in his chest. Through his years of running cons and such, Neal had become rather adept at reading people quickly. The first thing he noticed about Elizabeth was how kind and gentle her eyes were. He also couldn't help but notice that her eyes were almost the same blue as his own.

Next, he noticed her smile. Neal wasn't normally so sappy, but he was convinced that it actually lit up the room. Without conscious effort, he found himself smiling back at her, his heart pounding less violently.

"You must be, Neal. I'm Elizabeth. Welcome to our home, Neal."

Before Neal knew what was happening, Elizabeth had pulled him into a hug. Neal stiffened at first, but within seconds he allowed himself to melt into the hug, thinking that it might possibly be the best hug he had ever received. He really didn't have much to compare it to, though, as his list of received hugs wasn't really that extensive.

Pulling apart from Neal, Elizabeth turned to her husband. "Peter, why don't you show Neal to the bathroom, so he can wash up a little. I'll finish putting dinner on the table. And maybe get him some ibuprofen. Those bruises look painful."

A short time later, Neal and Peter walked into the dining room, both with freshly washed hands and faces. Neal stood awkwardly next to the table, not knowing where to sit.

"Neal, you can sit here, next to me." Elizabeth pointed to a seat to the right of her chair. Peter sat down across from Elizabeth, to Neal's right. Everything looked delicious and Neal realized that he no longer felt like throwing up. Instead, he was starving.

* * *

Dinner passed quickly and comfortably. The conversation was kept simple and safe, with Elizabeth asking Neal rather generic questions like what his favorite color was, what were his favorite foods, what sports did he like, and what kind of music he liked. Neal found it easy to talk to Elizabeth, falling into an easy rhythm with her. Peter, on the other hand, just sat back and watched as his wife worked her magic. He hadn't seen Neal look so relaxed, and he had to admit, he was enjoying this dinner way more than he thought he would. There was something about the sound of this child's laughter that made his heart feel light.

Once dinner was over, the three of them joined forces to get everything cleaned up as quickly as they could. Neal looked like he would fall asleep the minute he quit moving and Peter didn't look much better. After the kitchen was deemed clean enough by Elizabeth, she and Peter showed Neal up to the guest room.

Elizabeth had spent most of the day preparing for Neal's arrival. She had put clean sheets on the bed in the guest room and had moved the television from the basement into the room. She cleaned out the closet that had been used for storage for so long, allowing room for Neal's clothing. She vacuumed, dusted and cleaned the windows; and then went about making the room look more like a boy's room.

Neal stepped into the room, following Elizabeth and Peter. The room was pretty small, but Neal still thought it was a great room. It even had a television in the corner and a bookshelf full of books. He walked over to the window, looking down on the street below, before turning back to the Burkes.

"I put one of Peter's old t-shirts and a pair of pajama pants in the bathroom for you, Neal. And there's a new toothbrush in the cupboard. It looks like we need to work on getting you some clothes tomorrow, don't we?" Elizabeth gave Neal a quick hug. "We're right down the hall, Neal, if you need anything, okay? Try to get some rest. Sweet dreams."

Elizabeth turned and left, leaving Peter and Neal alone in the room. Peter eyed Neal warily.

"No trying to escape during the night, Neal, okay? I expect you to be here when I wake up in the morning."

Neal was annoyed that Peter always thought he was going to run, but he was too tired to argue with the man. Instead, he just looked at Peter, with a big smile on his face.

"I'll be here, Peter. Scout's honor." Neal held up three fingers in the classic Boy Scout salute. Peter didn't have to know that Neal had never in his life been a boy scout.

* * *

Author's note: Neal is finally home and has finally met Elizabeth. I wonder how well he will adjust to his tether and to the rules Peter will undoubtedly dish out. Thanks so much for continuing to read this story, and to those of you who take the time to review, I am forever grateful. I was blown away by the number of reviews for the last chapter. You guys rock!


	9. Umbrellas And Escape Plans

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 9

* * *

Neal had been trying to fall asleep for several hours. He figured the problem was that he was too tired, yet too wound up to actually sleep. The bed was soft, the comforter was warm and he was comfortable enough in the clothes he was wearing. He just couldn't seem to turn his mind off.

Neal kept replaying the events of the last few days over and over. He wished that he had a way to go back in time and make a few different choices. If he had only stayed away from Matthew Keller, he wouldn't be in this position. Mozzie had practically begged him to stay clear of Keller, but Neal hadn't listened. In fact, Neal really thought that he had everything under control. He had underestimated Keller's intelligence and overestimated his own. He had gotten cocky and now things were all messed up.

Neal knew that Mozzie was probably worried sick about him. When Neal didn't come home the night of the heist, Mozzie would have known that something went wrong. Unfortunately, he couldn't report Neal missing to the police. They would have asked way too many questions that couldn't be answered appropriately. Instead, Neal was sure that Mozzie had taken to the streets to find the answers. That, in itself, presented a problem. Keller would also be looking for information on Neal, so Mozzie would have to tread carefully.

Neal spent most of his time trying to figure out Peter Burke. He couldn't understand why this man would care so much about the welfare of someone he didn't really know. Neal knew, of course, that Peter was hoping that he could somehow help the FBI solve the case, but he wasn't sure he could do that. He did have at least the tiniest modicum of self-preservation, despite evidence to the contrary, and giving the FBI any more information on Keller would be like signing his own death warrant.

He also felt that Peter had more altruistic reasons for doing what he did, but wasn't sure what those reasons were. Neal had always felt like he wasn't the kind of kid that someone could care for, so he found it hard to believe that Peter had any sort of paternal desire to take care of him. He wouldn't admit it, but that thought made him sad.

Regardless of Peter's intention, Neal found himself in a dilemma. There was a part of him that realized that he needed the protection of Peter and the FBI. Keller was a dangerous man and Neal would be stupid not to respect that. There was another part of him that realized that by staying here, he could be placing Peter and Elizabeth in danger. Neal knew that he couldn't live with himself if anything happened to either of them. That left him with only one choice.

Neal knew that even though he told Peter he wouldn't run, that was exactly what he had to do. He had to find Mozzie and let him know that he was okay. He had to get away from Peter and Elizabeth to keep them safe. He had to regain control of his life. Once he had decided on his next step, Neal was finally able to fall asleep.

* * *

Peter and Elizabeth were also having a hard time sleeping. They talked long into the night about the boy that was sleeping down the hall from them. Peter filled Elizabeth in on as much as he could, which wasn't really much. They still didn't know his last name, or what his story was. Neal's fingerprints had been taken the night of the heist and were being run through the FBI's main database, hoping to find a match. So far, there was nothing.

Elizabeth had fallen completely in love with Neal the very first moment she saw him. He was a beautiful boy, with his gorgeous blue eyes, charming smile, and darling curls. She could tell that the boy was trying desperately to act cool and carefree, but she could sense the underlying vulnerability in him. She immediately wanted to pull him to her and never let go. She had never before felt such a strong need to protect someone.

What followed their initial meeting was nothing less than wonderful. She could tell that Neal was a highly intelligent young man, with a wealth of knowledge in a multitude of different areas. He had turned out to be a great conversationalist, once he had warmed up to her. She knew that he was still on his guard, to protect himself undoubtedly, but she still enjoyed every minute of it.

Now, as she lay in bed trying to sleep, all she could think of was how she couldn't wait for morning, just so she could talk with Neal again. She imagined the three of them sitting at the table, bonding over pancakes and waffles.

Peter couldn't fall asleep for a completely different reason. He was convinced that every time he heard the house settling, Neal was trying to escape, his steps making the floorboards creak and groan. He knew if given half a chance, Neal would be out of there quicker than he could say "Freeze!"

There was something else causing Peter concern, too. In the course of the evening, Peter had watched as his wife fell in love with Neal. He had a bad feeling that when this was all over El would be heartbroken. She would treat Neal as if he were her child, so once Neal had to leave, El would be devastated. Peter could tell Elizabeth to take things slow, but he knew that she wouldn't be able to stop herself. That's just how she was…..all or nothing.

Peter finally heard the soft and steady breathing of his wife as she fell asleep. Lying there for the longest time, Peter eventually decided that the only thing he could do was take it all one day at a time, being extremely careful.

Getting out of bed, Peter went quietly down the hall to check on his houseguest. He opened the door, half expecting the bed to be empty. Instead, he saw a small blob at the foot of the bed that was undoubtedly Neal. Walking over to the bed, Peter bent down and picked up the comforter that had fallen on the floor. Neal's body was almost completely covered by the sheet on his bed. The only thing showing was the top of his unruly hair and his left foot that was wedged against the head board. How in the world did the kid get so turned around in his sleep?

Peter tried to straighten Neal back up on the bed, unwedging his foot from the headboard and covering him with the comforter. The kid stirred a little, mumbling something that sounded like "Leave me alone, Moss." Peter wondered who or what "Moss" was and vowed to ask Neal in the morning.

Once Neal was straightened in the bed, Peter sat down and watched him sleep. He looked so very young, wearing Peter's old pajamas. Peter was tempted to reach out and push back the lock of unruly hair that had fallen over Neal's eye, but caught himself, just in time. He didn't want to scare the kid.

Ten minutes later, Peter was convinced that Neal wasn't going anywhere that night. It was almost three in the morning when Peter returned to his bed and finally succumbed to sleep.

* * *

Neal woke up completely disoriented, wondering where he was and how he had gotten there. It took him several long seconds to make sense of it in his mind and when he did he immediately started scheming. Looking at the clock on the bedside table, he realized that it was not even six o'clock yet.

Neal untangled himself from the blankets, nearly falling off the bed in the process. He had always been a very restless sleeper for some reason. Finally free, he stood up and quickly changed back into his clothes. Oh, what he wouldn't give for some clean clothes! He then made up the bed to look like he was still sleeping in it, knowing that it wouldn't fool Peter for too long.

After spending precious time looking for his shoes, Neal opened the door as quietly as he could. He was relieved to find that the Burkes were still in bed, as evidenced by the sounds of snoring coming from that direction. Peter really needed to see a doctor about that, in Neal's opinion.

Neal headed to the stairs, treading lightly. Going down the stairs would be tricky, but Neal had always been sure-footed. Mozzie always told him that he had cat-like reflexes and ninja stealth, but Neal liked to think that he was just naturally graceful.

Whether it was because of his natural grace or his supposed ninja stealth, Neal made it to the bottom of the stairs without a single sound. He was just about to unlock the door when he heard a noise behind him. Spinning around, Neal was relieved to see that it was only Satchmo coming towards him. His relief quickly faded when Satchmo, in his haste to get to Neal, knocked over the umbrella stand by the door. Neal tried to catch the umbrellas before they hit the floor, but wasn't fast enough. The noise that followed was enough to wake the dead, and Neal had little hope that Peter would sleep through it.

* * *

Peter woke up to the sound of something loudly crashing to the floor. He was out of the bed and running out of the bedroom door before realizing that he was still in his boxers. Not wanting to give Neal even an extra second, he decided that decorum would have to take a back seat for now. Within seconds Peter was at the top of the stairs, looking down at a guilty looking boy and dog.

"What the hell happened, Neal? What was that noise? Are you okay?"

Neal couldn't help but laugh at the thought that Special Agent Peter Burke was so oblivious in the morning. How could he not put two and two together to get the right answer? Did he not see the overturned umbrella stand and the scattered umbrellas? And what exactly was that on his boxers? Ducks? Oh, what Neal wouldn't give for a camera right now!

"Good morning, Peter. Did we wake you?" Neal tried his most charming smile, but he figured Peter wouldn't fall for his charm.

"It's not even six in the morning, Neal. What are you doing completely dressed and standing by the door? Going somewhere?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was, Peter. I was going to take Satchmo for a walk. The poor guy needs more exercise."

"Do you really expect me to believe that excuse, kid?" Peter slowly worked his way down the stairs, suddenly wishing that he had taken the time to put on his pants, or at least that he was wearing different boxers.

"Come on, Peter, why do you always think I'm going to run?" Neal looked at Peter with his big blue eyes, looking like the most trustworthy kid in America.

"Maybe because you've tried to run on three different occasions in the short time I've known you? How do you expect me to think any differently?" Peter stepped off the last step and reached down for the umbrella stand. "And just so you know, those puppy dog eyes and that charming smile aren't going to work on me."

"We'll see about that," Neal said under his breath, as he picked up the scattered umbrellas.

"What was that, Neal? Did you say something?"

"Nope, I didn't say anything. Maybe you should get your hearing checked," Neal offered.

"My hearing is fine."

"Well, that's good to know. But, if you change your mind, you might want to mention to your doctor that you snore horribly. I swear, Peter….I thought there was a train coming through the house."

Peter threw a glare at Neal, but really couldn't deny the truth in Neal's statement. There were nights that Peter had to sleep on the couch when his snores kept Elizabeth awake, but he wouldn't admit that to the kid. Besides, this was his house and he could snore if he wanted too.

"Let me get dressed and we can take Satch for a walk," Peter headed back up the stairs, but stopped after a few steps. "I expect you to be right here when I come back, kid. Got it?"

Neal didn't even bother replying. Instead, he walked over to the sofa and plopped down, Satchmo curling up at his feet.

* * *

Peter stomped into the bedroom, relieved to see that his wife was awake.

"Peter? What's wrong? Is Neal okay?"

"Oh, he's more than okay, El. He's so okay that he was just about to walk out the door at 5:50 in the morning." Peter angrily pulled on a pair of sweat pants, and then reached for his shoes. "He said he was just taking Satchmo for a walk, but my gut says he was about to run."

Elizabeth got out of bed and grabbed her robe. "Well, I'm sure you're right, but maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt, Peter. I'll go down and start breakfast and the two of you can talk."

"What are we going to talk about, El? He's just going to deny that he was going to run."

"He needs time to adjust to everything, Peter, but he also needs to know what's expected of him. We need to set some ground rules and give him some structure." Elizabeth kissed her husband on the cheek before heading downstairs.

Peter knew his wife was right, but he really had no idea where to start with Neal. The kid knew he was here because he needed protection. He knew that Matthew Keller would be searching for him. So, why was he so intent on leaving? What was he trying to get back to?

Peter decided that he definitely needed to have a heart to heart with the boy, even if it was the last thing on earth he wanted to do.

* * *

A few minutes later, Peter walked down the stairs to find Elizabeth and Neal sitting on the sofa, each sipping a hot cup of tea. They looked so at ease with each other that Peter felt a slight pang of jealously. Why did he feel so awkward around the boy? Why was it so easy for his wife to talk to him? The two of them looked like they had known each other for years.

They both looked up at him, when he entered the living room. Elizabeth took the mug out of Neal's hand and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast, giving Peter a wink as she passed him.

"Breakfast will be ready in about half an hour, boys. Don't be late."

* * *

Peter and Neal were walking down the sidewalk, Satchmo playfully running along beside them. Neal kept stealing glances at the man walking next to him, noticing the rigid way he walked, the tenseness of his shoulders, the way his jaw was clenched tightly. Neal felt a twinge of remorse, knowing that he was more than likely responsible for the man's stress.

"I'm sorry I woke you up this morning," Neal offered. "I didn't mean to."

Peter looked incredulously at Neal. "Neal, I know you probably think I'm just some bumbling FBI agent who couldn't find his way out of a paper bag, but I can assure you that you're wrong. I've been around a long time, kid. I can put two and two together and come up with the right answer. In this case, the right answer is that you were trying to escape. Again. I want to know why."

Neal felt like running again, but knew he wouldn't get very far. He didn't really feel like coming clean with Peter either, though. He was pretty sure that Special Agent Peter Burke wouldn't agree with his reasons for leaving, so instead of answering him, Neal ignored him.

By this time, they had stopped walking. Neal's arm was being repeatedly jerked by the leash he was holding. Satchmo apparently wasn't ready to stop. He could feel Peter's gaze on him and for some reason he started squirming. What was it about this man that made him feel like a little kid? Why did the thought of disappointing him make Neal feel so miserable?

"I'm waiting for an answer, Neal. Start talking."

* * *

Author's note: This story really seems to be writing itself sometimes. I'm anxiously waiting for Neal to confide in Peter, just like you guys, lol.

Thanks for reading and, hopefully, reviewing. You guys are awesome.


	10. Rules And Consequences

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 10

* * *

"I don't know what you want me to say, Peter. I just want to go home. Is there something wrong with that?"

Peter couldn't help noticing that Neal had turned away from him. It was obvious that the boy didn't want to talk about any of this, but it had to be done. Peter decided that he had to take the upper hand in this situation, and make Neal comprehend the importance of settling everything.

"Okay, Neal, I know this isn't an ideal situation for any of us, but like my father always says, it is what it is. You can't go home right now, kid. You're in danger until we can arrest Keller on something. You need protection, and I have the feeling that wherever you're currently living won't provide you with any. This isn't permanent, although I have to tell you, Neal, that I'm not going to just let you go when this is all over. I have a feeling that there is a lot you're not telling us about who you are and who is taking care of you. Don't think for a single moment that I'm not going to follow through with making sure your needs are met in an appropriate way."

When Neal didn't answer, Peter ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm here to help you, Neal. Elizabeth and I both are. If you'll help us out a bit, it will make our jobs much easier."

When there was still no response, Peter tried again. "Okay, at least answer me this question….why are you so insistent on running?" Peter didn't really expect Neal to answer, so he was surprised when he actually did.

"I have someone that's probably really worried about me. I just want to let him know I'm alright."

"And then what? You'll stay peacefully with us? You won't try to escape again?" Peter found it hard to believe that it would be as simple as that. He was beginning to learn that nothing with this particular kid was ever simple.

When Neal hesitated to answer, Peter knew that there was more going on than just wanting to let someone know he was okay. He could also tell that Neal was done talking for now.

"I know you don't want to talk about this anymore, so you can just listen to me for a few minutes, okay? Going back to wherever it is you came from is not going to happen. You currently have two options, Neal. You can stay with me and allow me to do my job, or you can head back to Crossroads. That's it, Neal….option A or option B. You can make this easy on yourself or you can make it hard. It's your choice, but let me assure you that if you choose option A, we are going to do things my way. Make no mistake, Neal….I'm the adult, you're the kid. I set the rules and I expect you to obey them. Rules and consequences, it's how this world works."

Neal wondered just which option Peter thought was the easy one. He almost thought that maybe it would be easier to have stayed at Crossroads, but that was just a fleeting thought. However, the idea of doing things Peter's way didn't sound that easy, either. Neal had never been that good at following rules and the idea of having consequences wasn't that thrilling, either.

"What exactly do you mean by rules and consequences?" Neal asked warily.

Peter checked his watch and realized that they were late for breakfast. "Let's go get some breakfast and then we can talk about rules and consequences, okay? I'm starving and I really don't want to keep Elizabeth waiting."

Peter placed his arm around Neal's shoulder and the two of them headed home.

* * *

Elizabeth had breakfast on the table when they got home. She also had an unhappy look on her face.

Peter quickly gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry we're late, El. We were talking."

Elizabeth motioned for the two to sit down and within seconds they were digging into the bacon and eggs she had made. There wasn't a lot of conversation going on, but Elizabeth could definitely feel an undercurrent of unease between Peter and Neal.

Once they were all done eating, Peter asked the two of them to join him in the living room. Neal and Elizabeth both sat on the sofa, while Peter sat in his usual armchair. He looked a little nervous, as did Neal. Elizabeth wondered what in the world was going on.

Peter cleared his throat several times before starting to talk. "Neal, Elizabeth and I are happy to have you in our home, but in order for the three of us to live together peacefully, we need to agree on some rules."

Neal fidgeted restlessly, not liking where this conversation was going. Elizabeth grabbed his hand between hers, hoping to infuse some peace. Neal looked up to her and gave her a small smile, appreciating her comfort.

Peter could tell the boy was nervous and vowed to try to make this conversation as painless as possible.

"Okay, rules first….The most important rule, Neal, is that you can't run. El and I have to know where you are at all times, okay? At this time, you can't leave the house without an escort." Peter noticed the way Neal's face turned an angry shade of red at this. "I mean it, Neal. I know you're probably feeling like you're being held hostage, but it's for your own protection. We can't protect you, if you're running off on your own."

"The second most important rule is no lying to us. We need to know that we can trust what you say, Neal, so you have to be honest with us. You can expect us to be honest with you, as well."

Neal seemed to balk at the idea of honesty, too. Peter didn't know the extent of how much of Neal's previous life was built on dishonesty and deception. He would not have survived on the streets of New York, if he had to be honest. Because of this, lying was second nature to him. Neal doubted that he was capable of unconditional honesty.

"The third rule is also extremely important, Neal. You are not to do anything to jeopardize your safety. It's my responsibility to keep you safe, but I can't do that if you're not making good decisions. I need to trust that you're not going to put yourself in situations that you can't get out of. This also ties into rule number one."

Neal rolled his eyes at that. "How can I do that, Peter, when I'm essentially under house arrest?"

"Just remember what I said, Neal. Don't do anything that I would deem stupid or dangerous and you'll be okay." Peter looked to El to make sure he was doing okay. Her small nod and smile meant the world to him. "The rest of the rules are pretty basic, Neal. Pick up after yourself, do whatever chores we assign you, be respectful. Elizabeth can work up a chore schedule and it will be your responsibility to follow through with that. Oh, and bedtime at nine o'clock."

"You can't be serious! Nine o'clock? Peter, I'm fifteen, not five. I can't go to bed that early!" Neal couldn't believe his ears. Nine o'clock? Really?!

Elizabeth quickly gave her husband a look, telling him to let her handle this. "Neal, honey, Peter just wants to make sure that you get enough sleep. However, nine o'clock may be a bit early. We'll renegotiate that, okay?"

Neal gave her a satisfied smile in response. He could tell that Elizabeth would be a great ally, if needed.

* * *

Once the bedtime issue had been settled, with both sides agreeing to ten o'clock on weeknights, Peter moved on to the next part of the conversation. He wasn't looking forward to this at all, because he really had no idea what he was doing.

Peter had been brought up in a fairly strict household, with his father being the disciplinarian. Peter had a healthy respect for his father, but also had a healthy dose of fear. For the most part the man had been fair in his discipline, but there were a few times when his choice of punishment had left Peter with a smarting backside for a few hours. Peter couldn't deny that he had deserved a session with his father's belt or paddle for some of the things he had done. Luckily, this type of punishment was reserved for the most serious of offenses.

Peter knew that he was not the type of man that could dole out that type of punishment, so he was determined to come up with other consequences. Undoubtedly, the child sitting in front of him would test the rules and boundaries quite frequently, and Peter needed to make sure that whatever punishment he came up with would serve to remind the boy to make better choices.

"Neal, we don't expect you to be perfect. We know you're bound to make mistakes from time to time, just as we will. But, you need to know that from this point forward you will be held accountable for your actions and choices. There will be consequences for any rule breaking, and I want to make sure that you understand that."

Neal looked as if someone was currently poking him with a thousand needles and Peter decided to let him off the hook as quickly as possible.

"Maybe you can tell me what some of the consequences of disobedience at home are? " Peter prodded.

Neal gave a small laugh at the thought of Mozzie handing out any kind of punishment. He had tried once, when Neal was thirteen. Neal had stayed out for two whole days once and when he finally came home, Mozzie had been furious. The short little man had yelled at Neal for what seemed like hours and had actually sent him to bed. Neal had obeyed the man, but only because he was getting a headache from all the yelling. The next morning, Mozzie had informed Neal that he was grounded. Neal didn't have the heart to argue with the man, but as soon as Mozzie left for the day, Neal left, too.

Mozzie wasn't too happy when he came back to find Neal gone again, but Neal made sure to come back home really early for the next several weeks and everything blew over. Mozzie never tried to impose a punishment on Neal again, but he did quite often make his displeasure known by lecturing him relentlessly.

Neal's silence on the matter told Peter everything he needed to know. Peter looked at Neal in amazement. "Well, that certainly explains why consequence and punishment seem to be foreign concepts to you. You've never been taken to task for your behavior, have you? You've just been allowed to do whatever you want for so long, without fear of reprimand. Neal, you have to realize that this isn't right. Kids need to learn that rules and consequences exist to be able to survive in this world, unless your idea of survival is serving time in the state penitentiary."

"Geez, Peter, I know how the concept of crime and punishment works. I just prefer to not get caught. That way it's not an issue."

Peter rubbed his hand over his face for at least the sixth time since this conversation had started. He really, really wanted to know Neal's story. Where did he live? Who was looking out for him? What had happened to him through the years to make him so skeptical? Why was he so distrusting? He had to find out, if he was going to be able to help this kid.

"I know this topic may seem uncomfortable to you, so let's just get it over with, okay? El and I will try to be as fair with you as we can, Neal. We will always allow you to tell your side of the story, too. But, if you break the rules, there will be consequences. I think for the most part your punishments will consist of extra chores or an early bedtime. For more serious transgressions, you will be grounded to your room. We're new at this, so we'll have to make adjustments as we go along. How does that sound, Neal?"

Neal actually was relieved at the punishments Peter had laid out. Not that he thought that he would enjoy them, but at least they seemed fair.

"It's fine, Peter. It's not like I'm going to get into any trouble anyway. You're just wasting your breath." Neal gave Elizabeth and Peter a cheeky grin. "I'll be the perfect child, I promise."

"Somehow, I doubt that, Neal, but one can only hope."

* * *

That afternoon, Elizabeth told Peter that she wanted to take Neal shopping. He was in desperate need of clothing and other items that a teenage boy might need. Peter wasn't thrilled with the idea, but his wife could be pretty persistent. An hour later, he found himself at the mall with Elizabeth and Neal.

Neal was reluctant to have the Burke's spend any of their money on him, but Elizabeth wouldn't take no for an answer. The two of them ended up having a great time finding Neal what he needed. They couldn't keep from noticing that Peter was bored out of his mind, but this only made them laugh even more. Hours later, they finally made it back home, arms weighed down with bags of all sizes. They had bought Neal the essentials: jeans, shirts, shoes, socks, boxers, pajamas, and a jacket. El had also insisted on buying him a new comforter for his bed, as well as some art supplies. Peter had told her how talented the boy was and she wanted to see for herself.

Once he had put all of the bags up in the room he was beginning to think of as his, Neal went back downstairs to help with dinner. Elizabeth and Neal had a great time, laughing and singing while they were cooking. Peter sat in the living room, with a beer in his hand and a smile on his face. He could get used to this.

* * *

Author's note: Thanks for reading!


	11. How Did I End Up Here?

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 11

* * *

Throughout the next few days, the Burke's and Neal settled into a routine that worked well for them. Neal was the perfect houseguest, always picking up after himself and helping with the day to day chores. There were a few rough minutes the first few nights at bedtime, when Neal argued that he wasn't a child and that it was asinine to go to bed when he wasn't tired. Peter argued that he was indeed a child and it was obvious by the crankiness he was exhibiting that he was, in fact, tired. Neal had looked to Elizabeth for support, but to his dismay she had sided with her husband.

Peter had been called in to the office a few times, when they had a possible lead on Keller's whereabouts. During these times there would be an off-duty agent sitting outside, guarding the house. It was during one of these times that Neal decided to make his move.

He regretted having to go against Peter's rules, but he was desperate to talk to Mozzie. He wanted to make sure that the man was okay, knowing that Keller wouldn't hesitate to use him to draw Neal out. He needed to warn him to lay low for awhile and watch his back.

Neal also planned on staying away from the Burkes, as well. Through the years, he had become rather adept at hiding and he had no intention of returning. He knew that his presence in their house put both Peter and Elizabeth in danger and he couldn't allow that.

On a Wednesday morning, almost a week after coming to the Burke's, Neal saw an opportunity to escape. Peter had left over an hour ago and Elizabeth was in her bedroom, organizing her closet. Neal had packed a small backpack he found in the coat closet with a few of the clothing items Elizabeth had bought for him. He left a note on his bed, thanking them for everything they had done for him and telling them not to worry about him. He assured them that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Next to the note, he left a sketch that he had done of Peter and Elizabeth, sleeping on the couch, Peter with his arms around his wife, Elizabeth with a contented smile on her face. Neal wished that he had made a copy for himself, but it was too late now.

Neal had watched the agent that was guarding the house over the last few days and noticed a pattern. For the most part, the agent stayed in the car, but every thirty minutes he or she would walk around the house to check things out. The walk around usually lasted about five minutes, so Neal had to be quick about his escape.

About ten minutes before the agent was due to walk about, Neal went into Elizabeth's bedroom.

"Hi, Neal, did you come to help?" Elizabeth had her arms full of clothes and motioned to the bag next to her. "Could you open that for me, please?"

Neal quickly opened the bag and held it as Elizabeth dumped all the clothes into it.

"Thank you, sweetie. What have you been up to while I've been immersed in this mess?"

"Not much, really. I've been reading, but I thought that if you didn't need me for anything, I might take a nap." Neal punctuated his comment with a big yawn. "Rainy days always make me sleepy."

"Are you okay, sweetie? You look a little pale?" Elizabeth raised her hand to Neal's forehead, checking his temperature. "You feel a little warm."

"I'm fine. Just tired." This was somewhat a lie, as Neal had been feeling a little sick to his stomach all morning. He just attributed this to the fact that he was feeling guilty about leaving.

"I think I might take a nap, too. All of this cleaning and organizing has wiped me out. Are you hungry? I can make us some lunch, or we can wait until we wake up."

"I can wait, if you can." Neal found it hard to meet Elizabeth's eyes, knowing that he was deceiving her in such a way.

"I think I can wait, too. Pleasant dreams, sweetie." Elizabeth placed a kiss on his forehead and just for a second, Neal almost changed his mind.

Gathering all the strength he could muster, Neal gave Elizabeth a smile. "You, too, Elizabeth. Sleep well."

Neal turned and quickly left the room before he changed his mind. Looking at his watch, he realized that he had about three minutes until the agent left the car. Entering his own room, he grabbed the backpack and walked over to the window, slightly prying open the curtain. Right on time, the agent got out of the car and started his patrol around the house. As soon as he was out of sight, Neal opened the window and climbed out onto the rooftop. Making sure the backpack was securely on his back; Neal reached out for the tree trunk that was conveniently next to his room. With natural ease, he shimmied down the tree. Minutes later Neal was safely down the street and headed back into the city. He couldn't help the few tears that fell from his eyes.

* * *

Peter Burke was feeling rather frustrated after the events of the morning. The possible lead they had on Keller didn't pan out, and now they were right back to square one. Peter was beginning to think that the man had fallen off the face of the earth. Returning home, he spent a few minutes talking with the agent outside the house, making sure that everything was alright. Once the agent had assured him that nothing had happened, Peter thanked him for being there.

The first thing Peter noticed when he opened the door was how quiet it was. Neal definitely wasn't your typical noisy, teenage boy, but with him around there was usually quite a bit of talking and laughter all around. Not finding anyone downstairs, Peter walked upstairs. Looking in his bedroom, he found Elizabeth curled up in a ball, her hair fanned out around her. He tried not to wake her, but a few seconds after he had opened the door, she opened her eyes. She had always been a fairly light sleeper.

"Hey, hon, I didn't mean to wake you."

"That's okay. What time is it?" Elizabeth looked blurry-eyed at the clock.

"It's almost one o'clock," Peter answered. "Where's Neal?"

Elizabeth got out of bed and walked over to Peter, curling into his chest as he put his arms around her. "He's taking a nap, too. The rain made us both a little sleepy."

"Must be nice," Peter teased. "Some of us had to work today."

"Hey, I worked, too. Did you see the closet?" Elizabeth gave Peter a light slap on the shoulder, before pointing over to the perfectly organized closet. "It almost looks bare now, doesn't it? I guess I'll have to do some shopping."

Peter gave his wife a look of consternation, before realizing that she was joking. At least, he thought she was. He knew how much she liked to shop.

"Peter, I'm going to go down and get started on some lunch. Why don't you see if Neal is awake yet? If we let him sleep too long, he won't want to go to bed tonight."

"Does he ever want to go to bed?" Peter joked. "It's like he's afraid he's going to miss out on something."

Elizabeth went into the master bathroom, leaving Peter to the task of waking up what would most likely be a grumpy teenager. Peter knocked softly on Neal's door. When there was no reply, he gently opened the door, not wanting to startle the kid. Once the door was opened, Peter was surprised to find the room empty. There was a lump in the bed, but Peter could tell right away that it wasn't a person. A sudden feeling of apprehension washed over him, but Peter quickly pushed it back. The agent outside had told him that nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The kid was probably in the bathroom, he thought, as he quickly walked out of the room to check.

Finding the bathroom empty, Peter went downstairs, calling out for Neal. It only took him a minute to realize that the boy was nowhere to be found. Frantically, Peter grabbed his phone to call the U.S. Marshal's office to check on Neal's tracking information, but before he could find the number in his contact list, the phone rang. Peter answered to find that it was the Marshal's office, calling to tell him that the tracking anklet had been disabled.

* * *

It took Neal almost an hour before he remembered that he was wearing a tracking anklet. He had been so focused on getting away as fast as he could that he completely forgot that rather major detail. Looking around at the buildings surrounding him, he slipped into a book and stationary store. After several minutes, he found an aisle that had several different types of scissors. He found the sturdiest pair he could find and quickly paid for it, using the money that he had taken out of Peter's wallet that morning. He hated to steal from the man, but his escape plan necessitated the theft. He had left an IOU in the wallet and fully intended on one day paying Peter back.

After leaving the store, Neal walked until he found a deserted alley. Without further ado, Neal took the scissors and cut straight through the strap of the anklet. He wasn't prepared for the high-pitched alarm that sounded once the anklet was cut. Looking around, Neal found a garbage bin close by. Seconds later he had buried the anklet as far down inside the bin as he could, and then turned and ran back through the alley. Once back on the street, he tried to blend in with the crowd as much as he could. He didn't want to draw any undue attention to himself and he needed to get as far away from this area as he could. He knew that the FBI would easily follow his movements through his tracking anklet and wanted to be long gone by the time they followed him to this place.

Eventually, after riding several different subways and buses, Neal found himself in familiar territory. Throwing the hood of his sweatshirt up over his head, he walked as casually as he could. Neal felt relief wash over him when he finally found himself in front of the building he had called home for the last several years. He hoped with all his might that Mozzie would still be there.

* * *

Barely a minute after Peter hung up with the U.S. Marshal's office, Elizabeth came downstairs.

"Did you wake Neal up? I know he's probably starving." Elizabeth looked at her husband for several long seconds before noticing that something was wrong. "Peter? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"El, Neal's gone. Somehow, he disappeared while you were sleeping. The Marshals just called and said he cut his anklet." Peter watched helplessly as a look of horror came over Elizabeth's face.

"I-I don't understand," Elizabeth said, her voice shaking. "He said he was tired and was going to take a nap. Why would he leave like that? Why would he lie to me?"

Peter pulled his wife into his arms, hoping to comfort her. He could feel her shoulders trembling beneath his hands. "I don't know, El. I don't know what he's thinking, but I promise you, I'll find him. I promise!"

"You have to bring him home, Peter. Please! Bring him home."

Peter had never heard his wife sound so shattered.

* * *

Neal walked into the apartment that he and Mozzie had shared for the last several years, a feeling of nostalgia washing over him. The feeling quickly left him when he found that the apartment was vacant. It shouldn't have surprised him, really. Mozzie would have found out that Keller was looking for Neal and he would have known to lay low for awhile. Neal only wished that he knew where Mozzie had gone.

Throwing his backpack on the counter, Neal rummaged through the cupboard, trying to find something to eat. He wished that he had waited until after lunch to leave. Elizabeth always made good lunches. The thought of Peter and Elizabeth finding out that he had left was overwhelming. He truly hated the idea of causing Elizabeth any distress. She deserved better from him.

Neal quietly made himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and, after checking to make sure it was still good, he poured himself a glass of milk. Taking his lunch into the living room, he sat down on the couch. He picked at his food a little, suddenly feeling nauseous. After several minutes of trying to talk himself into eating, Neal pushed his sandwich aside and curled up on the couch. He thought he would take a quick nap, and then go about looking for Mozzie.

* * *

Peter immediately started making phone calls and within an hour Diana and Jones were at his house. The three of them quickly went to the area where Neal's tracking anklet was last working. Peter had Diana and Jones canvassing the stores in the area, while he looked around the alley where the anklet was discarded. He had several other agents checking the various bus routes and subway systems in the area, searching for any sign of Neal. So far, there was nothing.

Peter's emotions flipped back and forth between anxiety for Neal and feeling completely livid with the boy. One minute he felt like hugging the boy and not letting go; the next minute he felt like he could take a page out of his father's book and take the boy to the proverbial woodshed. What was the boy thinking? He seemed to understand the need for protection when he and Peter had their talk earlier. What changed?

Peter wasn't looking forward to going home without any news of Neal's whereabouts. Elizabeth had already called him several times, and each time he told her there was no news, he could sense her devastation. In such a short time, Neal had wheedled his way into their hearts.

* * *

Neal woke up several hours later feeling worse than he could ever remember. He realized that he was sweating profusely, yet felt like he was chilled to the bone. A sudden feeling of nausea overcame him and he barely made it to the bathroom before emptying the meager contents of his stomach. Once done, Neal stood with shaky legs at the bathroom sink, splashing cool water on his face. He was afraid to go too far from the bathroom, just in case, so instead he just sank down to the floor, leaning against the bathtub.

Sometime later, Neal woke up to someone gently shaking his shoulder. Through blurry eyes, he looked up to find Mozzie standing over him, a concerned look on his face.

"Neal? Where have you been? What happened? How did you get here? Are you okay? You look awful!" Mozzie fired off questions so fast that Neal felt like his head was spinning.

Neal tried to stand, but his legs buckled beneath him. "Mozz, you're here!"

"Of course, I'm here. This is my apartment, isn't it? Where have you been, Neal? I've been worried. Word on the street is that Keller is looking for you." Mozzie grabbed a washcloth and ran it under some cold water before handing it to Neal.

Neal eventually was able to get to his feet, but found it painful to straighten completely. Walking in a hunched over manner, he followed Mozzie out of the bathroom and back over to the couch. Neal looked at his friend, trying to decide how much to tell him.

"Mozz, we finished the job, but the FBI showed up. When Keller saw them, he knocked me to the ground and grabbed my cache of goods. He left me, Mozz. The police arrested me, but the FBI took over. They questioned me for hours, but I didn't give up anything. The Agent in Charge sent me to Crossroads for the night, but then came and got me out the next day. I've spent the last week at his house, under his protection."

"I don't understand, Neal. Are they pressing charges against you?"

"They can't. Other than me being there, they don't have any evidence to use against me."

""Then why didn't you just come back here?" Mozzie was trying to understand, but he was having a hard time making sense of Neal's story.

"Peter thinks I need to be protected from Keller. Plus, he doesn't think I can take care of myself. He treats me like a child," Neal answered, indignantly.

"Okay, first, mon frère, who is Peter? Second….. you do need protection from Keller. And third….you ARE a child."

"Come on, Mozzie….I haven't been a child for a long time and I CAN take care of myself. Oh, and Peter is Peter Burke, Special Agent in Charge of this case. I told him a little bit of what happened with Keller." Neal tried to explain things with the least amount of words, hoping to quell the sick feeling that was coming back.

"Neal, you really don't look good. Maybe you need to see a doctor." Mozzie looked at Neal, concern etched on his face. His young friend was looking paler by the second, and his forehead was beaded with sweat.

"I'm fine, Mozz. I just need to sleep." Without another word, Neal curled up on his side, and with one hand clutching his stomach, went to sleep.

* * *

Author's note: Uh Oh! Poor Neal's not feeling well. At least, Mozzie is there to help, right?

So, I'm wondering what you all think of the update schedule I've been keeping. I've been updating about every 4 days, but I'm wondering if that's too quick. It seems like the faster I update, the less reads/reviews I get. Being my first fanfic, I really don't know what I'm doing, lol. Anyway, thanks for reading, ya'll.


	12. Stuffed Monkeys Are Not Too Girlie

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 12

* * *

Elizabeth and Peter spent a sleepless night worrying about Neal. Elizabeth was convinced that something awful had happened to the young boy that had wormed his way into her heart. Her imagination was working overtime and she was actually feeling physically ill with all the different scenarios her brain was coming up with. Every time she closed her eyes, an image of Neal in some sort of distress caused her to frantically open them again.

Peter spent much of the evening and parts of the night on the phone with his agents. At any given moment, there were at least three agents working to locate Neal, but so far there were no leads. Peter knew somehow that Neal was a master at hiding and that finding him would be especially difficult. Adding this to the growing list of mysteries surrounding the young boy, Peter wondered yet again just what exactly he had gotten himself into.

* * *

Mozzie woke up to the sound of Neal emptying his stomach again. It was barely four o'clock in the morning and he had already been up three other times with the kid. He was really starting to worry.

Entering the bathroom, he found Neal hugging the toilet, barely able to hold his head up. He could tell the boy was in pain, but he knew that Neal would never admit it. "Neal, I'm calling an ambulance. You need to go to the hospital."

Neal raised his head as much as he could, which wasn't much. "You can't, Mozz! You can't give up this place. If the ambulance comes, your address will be in the system. I'll be fine, really!"

"You're not fine, kid. You're burning up. I don't care about this place, Neal. You need help and that's more important." Mozzie was nearly frantic by then, knowing that Neal needed a doctor.

"Call Peter," Neal finally whispered. "He'll help, but don't tell him I'm sick. Just tell him that I want to talk to him. He'll come, I know he will."

* * *

Peter woke up to the sound of his cell phone ringing. He didn't recognize the number, but figured that a call coming in at this time most likely had something to do with Neal.

"This is Burke…"

"Special Agent in Charge Peter Burke?"

"Yes," Peter answered, angrily. "This is Special Agent in Charge Peter Burke. Who is this?! And why are you calling me at four o'clock in the morning?"

"Names aren't important, Suit. The reason I'm calling is, though. Neal needs your help."

Peter jumped out of bed, waking Elizabeth up in the process. "Do you know where he is? Is he okay?"

"He's with me, but he's sick. He needs to go to the hospital, but he doesn't want me to call an ambulance. He said the only way he'll go is if you take him."

Peter almost dropped his phone in his haste to find his pants. Elizabeth had no idea what was going on, but by this time she had started getting dressed, as well. "Where is he?"

After Mozzie gave Peter his address, Peter assured him that they would be there as soon as they could. Before he could say anything, Elizabeth jumped in, desperate for answers.

"Who was that? Was he calling about Neal? Where is he? Is he okay?"

"I don't know who it was, hon, but he said that Neal is really sick. He needs to go to the hospital, but the only way he'll go is if I take him." Peter explained what little he knew to his wife as the two of them continued to get dressed. Within five minutes of hanging up the phone, Peter and Elizabeth were on their way to Neal.

* * *

By the time Mozzie hung up the phone, Neal was barely conscious. He picked the boy up, not failing to notice how light he was. The kid really needed to eat more. Taking him over to the couch, Mozzie laid Neal down and put a blanket over him. All he could do was wait for the Suit to show up.

After what seemed like hours later, Mozzie finally heard a rather frantic knock on the door. He felt tremendous relief at the sound, mostly because Neal's fevered moans were getting worse. Mozzie rushed to the door, throwing it open and grabbing the shirt front of the man standing before him.

"He's over there," Mozzie said, pulling Peter inside and pointing to the couch. "He needs to go, now!"

Elizabeth and Peter ran to the couch, both surprised to see the condition of the boy they had come to care about in such a short time. Elizabeth couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her at the sight of Neal.

"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked the short man next to him. "What are his symptoms?"

"He's been throwing up all evening and, not that he ever admitted it, but his stomach is hurting. He could hardly stand up straight. He's also had a pretty high fever. I tried to cool him down, but it's not working. I think it's his appendix."

Without another word, Peter picked Neal up, not failing to notice how light the boy was. "Elizabeth, go down and start the car. We're right behind you."

Once Elizabeth had left, Peter turned to the other man. "Who are you and how do you know Neal?"

"This isn't the time for this, Suit. You need to get Neal to the hospital."

"Can you at least tell me his name? Do you know his medical history?"

Mozzie looked thoughtfully at Peter. "I don't know his medical history. I've only known him for about two years. In that time, he's been the picture of health. Not even a sniffle."

As Peter walked out the door, he tried once more to get this strange man to tell him Neal's name.

"I'll need his name to check him in," he argued.

Just as he thought it was a lost cause, the man surprised him by offering a name. "His name is Neal Caffrey."

* * *

Elizabeth drove as fast as she safely could to the nearest hospital, which happened to be Mount Sinai. Pulling around to the emergency entrance, she waited for Peter to get Neal out of the car, before rushing to find a parking spot. She had never felt as scared as when she saw Neal lying on the couch, so pale and sick. The boy didn't even register the fact that they were there. The drive to the hospital was the worst fifteen minutes of her life, as she listened to Neal moaning and thrashing restlessly in the back seat. As she finally parked the car and worked her way back to the emergency entrance, Elizabeth anxiously prayed for Neal.

Entering the waiting room, she looked around for Peter, finding him standing in the corner. "Peter? Is he okay? What's going on?"

Peter had a look of immense worry on his face. The minute he had walked in with Neal, the triage nurse had taken one look at the boy and whisked him away, barely taking the time to ask Peter what his name was. The woman at the front desk asked Peter a few questions, before telling him that someone would be out to talk to him soon. Soon wasn't soon enough for Peter. The last few minutes that Peter was holding Neal, the boy had become eerily quiet.

"They just took him back, El. The nurse said someone should be out to talk to us soon." Peter grabbed his wife's hand and led her over to a set of chairs. Neither spoke, instead they sat together, worry taking over all thought.

* * *

Just when Peter was about to get up and ask what was going on, the door opened and a young man dressed in blue scrubs walked through. Looking around the waiting room at the various people, he finally spotted the Burke's. "Are you Neal's parents?" he gently asked.

Peter and Elizabeth immediately stood up, stepping toward the doctor. "Is he okay?" Elizabeth immediately asked.

"Please, let's have a seat, so I can go through a few things with you." The young man led them back to the seats they had been sitting in and then introduced himself. "I'm Dr. Evans, one of the emergency room physicians here at Mt. Sinai. Neal's a pretty sick kid. His appendix ruptured, probably sometime last night, so we're prepping him for surgery right now, giving him fluids and antibiotics. The surgeon is going to be Dr. Merrick. He's one of the best surgeons I've ever known, so Neal will be in good hands.

"Can we see him before you take him to surgery?" Elizabeth felt that everything would be okay, if she could just see Neal again.

"I'll see what I can do, okay? We need to get him into surgery as soon as possible," Dr. Evans said. "There are certain risks with surgery, but like I said, he will be in the best of hands. After surgery, Dr. Merrick will come out and talk to you about the post-op plan of care. You can plan on Neal staying here for several days, at least."

Once they had talked out a few more things, Dr. Evans led them back into the emergency room. Pulling aside the curtain surrounding Neal's bed, Peter and Elizabeth made their way to Neal's side. Dr. Evans explained that he had already received some intravenous pain medication, so the likelihood that he would wake up was pretty small. They were both just thankful that Neal didn't seem to be in any pain. Elizabeth felt tears falling down her face at the sight of him. He looked so small and vulnerable lying in that hospital bed.

After spending several minutes at his bedside, the surgical team finally came in to take Neal away. One of the ER nurses showed Peter and Elizabeth to the surgical waiting room and told them where they could find some vending machines, just in case. Neither Peter nor Elizabeth felt like they could hold anything in their stomachs, opting instead to just sit down and hold each other for the time being. They were in for a long wait.

* * *

A little after nine in the morning, the operating room door opened and an older gentleman with graying hair walked toward them. Introducing himself as Dr. Merrick, he explained to the Burkes how Neal's surgery. Relief flooded through them as they learned that everything went well as it possibly could have, given the circumstances.

"Neal's a pretty fortunate kid. If you hadn't gotten him in here when you did, we could have been having a completely different conversation. Even now, he's in for a little bit of a rough recovery. Because his appendix had already ruptured, we had to do an open incision, instead of a laparoscopic one. This means a larger incision than normal. We also did a washout of the abdomen, to make sure we got rid of any contaminants. Neal will require several days of some pretty heavy-duty IV antibiotics, as well as pain medicine. We'll be keeping a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't become septic."

"When can we see him?" Peter and Elizabeth blurted out simultaneously, causing Dr. Merrick to laugh.

"He'll need about an hour in the recovery room and then he will be taken to his room. You can wait there, if you'd like."

After shaking Dr. Merrick's hand and thanking him repeatedly, Elizabeth and Peter walked off to find the room Neal would be in. Elizabeth insisted on stopping by the gift shop and picking up something for Neal. After picking out a small notebook and some markers for Neal to draw with, Elizabeth also found a stuffed monkey that she thought he might like. Peter thought it might be too childish or girlie for the teenager, but Elizabeth disagreed, arguing that any sane person would appreciate the adorableness of such a gift.

With her arms full of the gifts and some flowers to brighten his room, Elizabeth led Peter back to wait on Neal's return.

* * *

Neal woke up with a horrible taste in his mouth. His first thought was to get up and brush his teeth, but he felt a tremendous pain in his stomach when he tried to move. Suddenly, everything came back to him with certain clarity. He remembered running away from the Burke's house and arriving at Mozzie's. He remembered feeling sicker than he ever had and he remembered Mozzie coming home. He had explained almost everything to Mozzie, and at the same time became sicker and sicker. The last hazy memory he had was of Mozzie carrying him to the couch and covering him with a blanket. From that point on, he couldn't remember anything.

Opening his eyes, he was surprised to find himself in what looked like a hospital room. Slowly, looking around he was even more surprised to find Elizabeth and Peter sleeping next to him, one on each side of the bed. Elizabeth was holding his hand in one of hers and Peter had a hand on his ankle. Neal couldn't stop the tear that escaped his eye. He vaguely remembered telling Mozzie to call Peter Burke, but he had to admit that he was shocked that he actually did. As a rule, his friend usually stayed as far away as he could from anyone or anything associated with the government. He must have been really, truly sick for Mozzie to go against his own rules of survival. He would have to thank him the next time he saw him.

Looking around some more, Neal noticed that there were flowers on his bedside table and a stuffed monkey tucked in under his arm, undoubtedly Elizabeth's doing. He also spotted what looked like a notebook and some coloring markers. He couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face, right before he fell back to sleep.

* * *

The next time he woke up, Peter and Elizabeth were awake, still in the same places they had fallen asleep. They had been talking about something, but both quickly fell silent when they noticed Neal was awake.

"Neal, how are you feeling? Are you hurting?" Elizabeth asked.

"A little," Neal admitted. "But, it's not bad, really. I've had worse."

Peter gave a dry laugh at that one. "Neal, you really need to stop saying that, buddy."

Neal threw a guilty look at Peter, knowing that he had used that line once before. Peter wasn't impressed that time, either. "Can I have a drink of water? My throat is so dry."

Elizabeth grabbed the small cup of water, while Peter attempted to sit Neal up. He stopped raising the head of the bed when Neal let out a gasp of pain.

"The nurse said you can only have small sips of water, for now, Neal. If you drink too much or too fast, you might get nauseated." Elizabeth held the cup up to his dry lips, making sure he only took a few sips.

Neal didn't think he had ever had anything that tasted as good as that water, but he definitely felt a bit nauseous once it hit his stomach.

"What happened?" Neal asked. "Why am I in the hospital?"

Several minutes later, Peter finished filling Neal in on what had transpired since he ran away. Neal could tell that Peter wasn't happy with the fact that Neal had refused to let Mozzie call an ambulance, let alone the fact that he had ran away in the first place.

"You could have died, Neal." Peter hadn't realized until that very moment how angry he was at Neal for being so obstinate. The kid truly could have died. "You really need to develop a sense of self-preservation and learn how to ask for help when you need it. Can you imagine how your friend would have felt if something had happened to you? Can you imagine how El and I would have felt?"

"I'm sorry, Peter. I really thought I would be fine. I thought I just had a bug or something." Neal turned to Elizabeth. "I owe you an apology, too. I lied to you yesterday morning when I told you I was feeling fine. I think this all started then. I'm also sorry that I snuck out and ran away."

Elizabeth gave Neal's hand a squeeze and was just about to tell him that it was all okay, when Peter spoke up. "We're due for a long talk when we get back home, Neal. The way I see it, you broke several different rules with this little escapade. You lied to us, you ran away, you put yourself in serious danger and, thanks to an IOU I found in my wallet, I know you stole from me."

Neal started to say something, but Peter cut him off. "We'll talk about this later, kid, okay? Right now you need to focus on getting better."

Neal didn't feel like arguing with that. With Elizabeth still holding his hand, and his other hand grasping the stuffed monkey, he closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.

* * *

Author's note: As a token of my appreciation and thankfulness to my awesome readers, here's the next chapter (a little early). Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate it. And, thanks ahead of time for all the reviews. Enjoy! (Hopefully...)


	13. No Rest For The Weary

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 13

* * *

Dr. Merrick wasn't lying when he said that Neal was in for a rough recovery period. Elizabeth and Peter couldn't do much, other than watch helplessly as Neal became violently sick after taking some pain medicine. Eventually, they found a medication that his stomach tolerated and Neal was able to get some sleep. Sometime during the first night, though, Neal had a reaction to an antibiotic the nurse had just started, causing him to break out in hives. Overall, the night was miserable for all involved.

The next morning, Peter had to go into the office for a few hours. Before he left, he made sure that there was an agent standing outside Neal's room, instructing the young man that no one other than his wife and the hospital staff were allowed to enter the room.

Elizabeth had gone down to the cafeteria to get some breakfast while Neal was still sleeping. She had slept very little during the night and really needed some coffee. She was only gone for half an hour, but was anxious to get back to Neal, not wanting him to wake up alone.

Entering Neal's room, she was surprised to see someone standing over his bed. The man was dressed in the same blue scrubs that Dr. Merrick had worn, but she had never seen this man before.

"Hi. Can I help you? I'm Elizabeth Burke."

The man spun around immediately and Elizabeth could see that he was holding a syringe filled with something. "Who are you and what is that you're giving him? Are you aware of the reactions Neal had last night to two different medications?"

When the man didn't answer straight away, Elizabeth became even more suspicious. Before she could say or do anything, the man pushed past her and ran out the door. Elizabeth ran to check on Neal, calling for the young agent that had been guarding the room. "Agent Reed, I need help," Elizabeth cried out.

Agent Reed ran into the room as Elizabeth searched for the call light. "That man that was just in here….did he say who he was?"

The young agent looked at her in confusion. "Yes, ma'am. He said he was Neal's doctor. I checked his hospital ID and it looked legitimate. What happened?"

Elizabeth was about to answer him, but the nurse on duty walked through the door.

"Did you need something?" The nurse looked at Neal, who was still sound asleep, and then at Elizabeth.

"There was a man in here a few seconds ago, wearing blue scrubs. He was standing over Neal with a syringe in his hand and when I asked him what he was giving Neal, he ran out the door. I don't know if he actually injected anything or not. Please! Call Dr. Merrick!" Elizabeth was in tears by this time and wishing, more than anything, that her husband was there.

The nurse quickly used the call light to have someone page Dr. Merrick and then went to check on Neal. Shaking Neal's shoulder gently, she was able to get him to open his eyes and talk with her for a few minutes. Neal denied feeling anything different, telling the nurse that he really just wanted to sleep. He had been given some Benadryl after his allergic reaction earlier and was still really sleepy. She quickly checked his blood pressure and pulse, too. After a few minutes of talking with Neal, she turned back to Elizabeth. "His vital signs are stable, Mrs. Burke. His neurological responses are appropriate, too. Dr. Merrick will be here soon to check him out further, okay?"

"Thank you." Elizabeth went to Neal's side and grabbed his hand, drawing strength and comfort from the fact that it was perfectly warm. He looked rather peaceful at the moment, and Elizabeth felt some of the stress leave her body.

Within ten minutes, Dr. Merrick showed up and, between Elizabeth, the nurse and Agent Reed, was quickly filled in on what had happened. After a quick assessment of the boy, he ordered a few tests to be done, and quickly reassured Elizabeth that it looked like Neal was fine.

"Agent Reed, did you happen to get the name of the man? What did he look like?"

Agent Reed gave a brief description of the man, with Elizabeth throwing in comments, as well. "He said his name was Dr. Carter and he had an ID badge that confirmed it."

"Unless he's new here, we don't have a Dr. Carter at this hospital. Regardless, he had no business in this room." Dr. Merrick looked at the nurse, concern etched on his face. "Catherine, call security, please. They need to know what happened. And call me as soon as you get those test results back."

After a few more words with Elizabeth, Dr. Merrick left. Elizabeth stepped out of the room and called Peter, telling him to come back to the hospital immediately. She told him briefly what had happened, and then returned to Neal's side to wait for Peter to show up.

* * *

Peter cursed loudly at the thirteenth red light he had to stop for. He had been driving for nearly thirty-five minutes, his anger steadily building along the way. Elizabeth had reassured him that Neal was fine and that the man getting through to him had nothing to do with Agent Reed's competence, but Peter wanted to verify this personally. For his sake, Agent Reed should be praying that he hadn't screwed up.

Eventually, Peter arrived at the hospital and spent another five minutes trying to find a parking space. By this time, he seriously felt like he could scream at the next person that looked at him funny. Luckily for him, everyone around him seemed to understand that he was in a bad mood and completely steered clear of him.

Walking into Neal's room, he went directly to the bed to see for himself that the boy was, indeed, in one piece. In fact, Neal, who was finally awake, was looking livelier than he had since this whole appendix thing had started. Elizabeth jumped up out of her chair and into her husband's arms.

"Peter, thank God you're here."

"I'm sorry it took me so long, hon. Damn New York traffic!" Peter eyed Agent Reed who was standing near the door, looking rather nervous. "Reed, what the hell happened?"

Elizabeth quickly looked at Neal and then back at her husband. "Let's take this outside, okay?"

Minutes later, Agent Reed and Elizabeth had filled Peter in on everything. Peter was relieved to find out that the young agent had followed protocol. The security breach apparently happened on the hospital's end and Peter quickly asked to speak to the security manager.

Walking back into Neal's room, Peter was surprised to find his wife and the teenager arguing.

"It's not fair, Beth. If something almost happened to me, I have a right to know. I can handle it, you know. I'm not a baby." Neal looked at Elizabeth, petulantly. "In fact, I'm sure whatever it was, I've been through worse."

Peter watched as his wife tried to placate Neal without treating him like a baby. He wondered when Neal had taken to calling her Beth. As far as he knew, no one had ever called her that.

After listening to them argue for several minutes, Peter decided to step in. "Neal, you don't need to know all the details right now. You need to trust me on this."

"Why? Why don't I need to know? I'm the one that's stuck in this hospital bed while strange things are happening around me. It's not fair, Peter." By this time, Neal was so frustrated that he had been trying to sit up, causing a grimace of pain to cross his face.

"That's enough, Neal. Sit back and relax before you injure yourself." Peter's voice was firm enough to make Neal do as he was told.

"I still don't think it's fair," Neal pouted.

"Duly noted, Neal."

* * *

Once Peter had met with the head of the hospital's security, they devised a plan to keep Neal safer. He was moved to a more secure room inside the ICU and they set up a strict list of staff that was allowed in his room.

Neal, of course, balked at the idea of being so isolated. He had enjoyed the stream of nurses that would come by to check on him, all falling victim to his blue eyes and charm. After the incident that he still didn't know much about, everyone seemed much more on edge. This edginess put Neal in a terribly cranky mood and caused a tension to build between him and Peter. They argued over the simplest of things…what to watch on television, whether or not Neal needed to take a nap, when Neal needed more pain medicine. Finally, when they started arguing over which flavor of Jello was the best, Elizabeth had had enough.

"Okay, both of you need to knock it off!" Elizabeth finally exploded. "You're driving me crazy with all this arguing and you're both acting like you're five years old. Peter, take a walk and get some coffee for us. Neal, lie down and take a nap."

Neal and Peter both started complaining.

"I'm not tired, Beth."

"El, I don't want to take a walk."

Elizabeth threw her hands up in frustration. "Right now it's not about what you want, boys. Right now, I want to be able to sit here quietly and read my book, and in order for me to do that, you're taking a nap, Neal, and Peter's taking a walk."

Knowing better than to argue with her, Peter walked out the door and Neal nestled down in the bed for a nap. Elizabeth opened up her book and settled down to read in the silence that now filled the room.

* * *

The next day, Peter and Elizabeth were taking a well deserved break from the hospital. They had both been at the hospital continuously since the incident with the unknown man. Elizabeth's assistant had gone to their house and gathered clothing and other necessities for them. She was also taking care of Satchmo. The nurses had shown them to an old OR lounge that still had showers available, so they took turns showering. Both of them slept in the room with Neal, and took turns leaving for short periods at a time, never leaving the boy alone for more than a few minutes.

Since nothing else had happened in the previous days, the Burkes decided to head home for the afternoon, telling Neal that they would be back by dinner. Neal loved having Peter and Elizabeth around, but he wasn't used to the constant supervision. He was feeling a little stifled, so he was not at all upset when they told him they were leaving.

Once they had left, Neal took a nap. When he woke up several hours later, he tried to entertain himself with the notebook and markers before finally climbing out of bed. He felt like he had to get out of that room, desperately needing some fresh air. After finding the slippers Elizabeth had bought for him, he grabbed his sweatshirt and threw it over his hospital gown. The FBI agent had been replaced by a hospital security guard for the next half hour, giving the agent a small break, and Neal planned on taking full advantage of it.

Within minutes he was able to distract the guard, pulling him away from the door to his room. Leaving the ICU was much easier than entering, especially during what was the busiest time of the day. Once he was out the ICU doors, Neal walked as quickly as he could to the courtyard. He still was moving pretty slowly, but that didn't stop him.

* * *

Peter had just sat down on the couch and turned on the television to watch the baseball game when his phone rang. Elizabeth was upstairs, sorting through all of the emails she had missed.

Answering the phone, Peter listened as a very frantic nurse told him that Neal was missing. No one noticed anything unusual happening, but she admitted that things had been a little crazy when one of their other patients coded. She assured him that the security personnel, as well as the assigned FBI agent, were all trying to figure out what happened.

Peter hung up the phone and immediately yelled for Elizabeth. In less than two minutes, they found themselves in their car, heading back to the hospital, both filled with unspoken anxiety. Elizabeth had to ask Peter several times to slow down, telling him that they wouldn't be any help to Neal if they were in a hospital bed next to him.

Just as they pulled into the hospital parking lot, Peter's phone rang again, this time with the news that Neal had been found. Without going into full detail, they were assured that Neal was perfectly fine, and that he was back in his room.

Walking into Neal's room, Peter and Elizabeth were faced with a very contrite looking boy. They quickly learned that Neal had created a distraction for the security guard and walked right out the ICU doors, with no one the wiser. Neal knew he was in trouble the moment he looked at Peter, but worse than that, he knew that he had disappointed him. He could handle the Burkes being angry at him, but knowing that they were disappointed was infinitely worse.

Peter thanked the staff and the FBI agent on duty, before asking them to leave. Turning to face Neal, he paused to take a few deep breaths. "Explain," Peter demanded.

"I'm sorry…"

"I don't want to hear apologies, right now, young man. I want to hear what was going through that thick skull of yours right before you decided to make a break for it."

"I wasn't making a break for it. I just needed to get out of this room for awhile." Neal found that he couldn't quite meet the eyes of either Peter or Elizabeth. "I didn't mean to cause trouble."

Peter nearly exploded at these words. "Do you think this is all a game, Neal? Do you think I have FBI agents guarding you because they have nothing better to do? Do you think El and I have enjoyed eating hospital food and sleeping on lumpy cots these last few days? You know how dangerous Keller is. You know how resourceful he is, too. How can I protect you, if you're off gallivanting around the hospital, all by yourself?"

"Peter, maybe you should take a few minutes and calm down." Peter's voice had escalated with each word and by the end of his tirade his face was beet red. Elizabeth was afraid that he might have a stroke or something and tried to calm him down.

"I don't need to calm down, Elizabeth. What I need is for Neal to use that rather significant intellect of his, instead of acting impulsively at every turn." Turning to Neal, he continued. "Neal, for once you need to start thinking of your safety. I know it hasn't been easy being cooped up in here, but it is what it is, remember? It won't do you any good to be free of this room if that allows Keller to get to you. Neal, please look at me."

Neal slowly raised his eyes to meet Peter's, expecting to find anger and disappointment in his gaze. He definitely saw that, but he also saw worry and sadness.

"Kid, I know you're used to taking care of yourself. I know that having someone else trying to take care of you is a foreign concept, but you're going to have to deal with it. Remember what I said right before you took off? We have to trust each other. I have to trust that you're going to do what's expected of you, even if it's not what you want to do. I need to be able to trust that you're going to make good decisions."

"I'm sorry, Peter. I really didn't mean to cause trouble. I didn't even really think about it, I just left."

"Come on, Neal, don't lie to me. If you didn't even think about it, you wouldn't have gone to the trouble of distracting the guard and sneaking out. You knew that El and I wouldn't be okay with you doing that, yet you disregarded our rules and did it anyway."

Neal didn't have an answer for this, knowing that it was absolutely the truth. Instead, he looked down at his lap, picking at a loose thread on the blanket he was covered with.

"Sweetie, if you were that desperate to get out of here, why didn't you ask? We could have wheeled you outside." Elizabeth's heart ached at the look on Neal's face. Why did the boy find it so hard to ask for help? Elizabeth wished now, more than ever, that she knew more about his childhood. Why was this kid so hesitant to allow someone to care for him?

"I don't know, Beth. I just didn't think to ask, I guess." Turning to Peter, Neal swallowed loudly before asking, "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"Oh, yeah, buddy….you're in trouble. First off, you're going to apologize to Nurse Lila for upsetting her so much. Then, you can apologize to Agent Simpson and the hospital security team for sending them off in a panic. Since you're already basically grounded to your room, I don't know what else to do. Any ideas, El?"

El looked at Neal for a few long seconds, causing the boy to fidget slightly. "I think maybe you can take some time and write an essay on the benefits of asking for help, instead of taking manners into your own hands."

Neal looked at her in surprise, but wisely didn't say anything.

"That's a great idea, hon. I used to hate it when my grandmother made me do the same thing. Of course, she usually made sure I was sitting in the corner when I wrote it." Peter looked around the room, as if he was looking for an appropriate corner.

"You're kidding, right?" Neal asked. No way was he going to stand or sit in the corner like a child.

"Fortunately, Neal, there aren't any free corners in this room." Peter couldn't help but laugh at the look of relief that crossed Neal's face at these words. "Let's make a deal, kid. You make your apologies and write your essay, and tonight El and I will take you on a tour of the hospital. We might even go outside and look at the stars. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great," Neal answered, his blue eyes lighting up at the thought. "Do either of you have a pen and some paper I can use?"

* * *

Author's note: Well, what do you think? It seems like Peter and Elizabeth can't let their guard down for a single second with Neal around. How are you guys liking teenage Neal? I'm trying to keep him in character, but I'm not sure if it's working. I don't want him to come across as too bratty.

Thanks for reading!


	14. Questions Worth Answering

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 14

* * *

Neal wrote his essay and made his apologies, feeling much better afterwards. Well, he didn't really feel better after the essay, but he was glad to have it finished. He tried to be as honest as he could, but he was still having a hard time agreeing with the idea that what he had done had been so bad. So what if he felt like taking a walk?! He was pretty sure that this was still a free country, and the last he knew taking a walk was still a legal activity.

Apologizing to the nurse wasn't that bad. Lila was one of his favorite nurses, and he really did feel terrible for scaring her. She quickly forgave him, though, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before leaving. Peter just rolled his eyes at the moment, causing Neal to give him a cheeky grin.

Things didn't go as well when he made his apologies to the security detail. Neal tried to appeal to their independent natures, citing that every man needed his own personal space, but they weren't having anything to do with it. Instead, they felt it necessary to lecture him on the importance of minding his parents and doing what he was told. Neal started to tell the men that it was impossible to mind his parents, since his father was dead and he hadn't seen his mother in seven years, but the look he had been given by the burliest of the men quickly changed his mind. Instead, he kept his mouth shut.

Peter and Elizabeth held true to their promise and that evening Neal found himself being wheeled through the hospital by Peter, as Elizabeth was expounding on the fact that there was persuasive information that Elvis might still be alive. Apparently, she had been reading some questionable entertainment magazines while at the hospital.

After enjoying the view of the stars in the sky from the courtyard for almost two hours, Elizabeth declared it was time to go back to Neal's room. She had noticed that he had been yawning quite a bit for the last thirty minutes and that he was shivering, despite the fact that he had a sweatshirt on. Of course, Neal denied feeling tired or cold, but in the face of Elizabeth's resolve, he didn't push the argument.

That night Neal slept better than he had in a very long time, despite the tremendous snoring coming from Peter. His last thought before falling asleep was that Peter really needed to have that snoring thing checked out.

* * *

Three days later, Neal was finally released from the hospital with strict instructions on what to do and what not to do. Neal was only half listening to Dr. Merrick, knowing that Elizabeth had probably memorized every instruction he had been given.

One by one, Neal's favorite nurses said goodbye to him as he was wheeled out the door. Some gave him hugs; others gave him a kiss on the cheek. Every one of them gave him a smile and instructed him to take care of himself.

By the time they arrived at home, Neal was so tired that he only argued half-heartedly when Peter told him to take a nap. They compromised by settling him on the couch, Satchmo by his side, and a blanket thrown over him.

While Neal was sleeping, Peter and Elizabeth grabbed a cup of coffee and sat together at the dining table. The last several days had been brutal and they were so happy to be back at home. Elizabeth started planning what she would make for dinner that night, while Peter caught up on some of the newspapers that had piled up.

Neal woke up two hours later with a moment of uncertainty. After clearing the cobwebs of sleep from his head, he was able to focus on the sounds of activity coming from the kitchen. It sounded like Elizabeth was cooking something and suddenly Neal felt really hungry. He hadn't had much of an appetite lately, so he was surprised by this sudden hunger. Making his way into the kitchen, he found Elizabeth standing at the stove.

"Hi, Beth. That smells great." Neal gave her a small smile, appreciating the fact that she was taking the time to cook for him.

"Neal, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

"I feel better after that nap," he admitted.

Elizabeth gave him a quick hug, before leading him out to the table. She had made a simple dinner of homemade chicken noodle soup and fresh baked bread. Neal and Peter enjoyed it, immensely, with both having seconds. Elizabeth made sure to set Neal's antibiotic and pain pill next to his glass of juice, but he steadfastly ignored it. Peter and Elizabeth passed several glances between themselves, but it wasn't until Neal stood up to put his dishes in the sink that one of them spoke up.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Peter moved his gaze to the two pills on the table.

"I'm not forgetting them, I just don't want to take them," Neal replied, resolutely.

"Neal, this isn't up for debate. Dr. Merrick said you need to finish all of the antibiotics and continue taking the pain pills for the next several days."

"You'll feel better, if you take them, Neal," Elizabeth offered.

"I feel fine, now, though. I don't need them, Beth."

Peter stood up and walked over to Neal. "Neal, we aren't going to argue about this every time you're due for your medication. You can either take them now without arguing and we can go watch a movie or you can take them now despite arguing and then go to bed. Either way, you're taking your medicine."

Neal knew when to lay down his sword, so he quietly picked up the pills and washed them down with his juice. "What movie can we watch?"

* * *

After watching both E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Neal took his medication and went to bed without protest. Peter and Elizabeth had noticed that the boy had become more disheartened as the night went on. After allowing him time to get ready for bed, the two of them went up to his room.

Neal was already in bed when the Burkes knocked on the door. After a quiet "come in" from Neal, they opened the door and entered the room. Neal turned on the lamp next to his bed and looked up expectantly at them.

Elizabeth went over to the bed and sat down on the edge, after Neal scooted over a little. She placed the back of her hand against his forehead to feel his temperature, before gently carding her hand through his hair. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"I'm fine, Beth. Just a little tired." Peter was surprised when Neal leaned into his wife's touch. Usually, the boy didn't really like that degree of contact, but if anyone could break down his walls, it was Elizabeth.

"I'm really getting tired of that word, kid," Peter sighed. "Maybe you can come up with something better."

Elizabeth shot her husband an irritated look. "What Peter is trying to say, Neal, is that we don't want you to just appease us. We want you to be truthful, so we can help to take better care of you."

Neal vowed to try to be more open about how he was feeling, but he knew it would be hard for him. Elizabeth gave him a kiss on the forehead, tucked the stuffed monkey under his arm, and then tucked his blanket in all around him. "Good night, dear. We're right down the hall, if you need anything."

Elizabeth turned to leave, but Peter didn't follow. "I'll be there soon, hon. I just want to talk to Neal for a few minutes."

With that, Elizabeth turned and went to her bedroom, leaving Peter to talk to Neal. Before he could say anything, Neal started talking. "Peter, I need your help."

Peter looked at the boy, trying to figure out what was going on in his head and what he was needing help with. "Okay….let's hear it, Neal."

Peter watched as Neal fidgeted in the bed, nervousness causing his hands to shake.

"I know I screwed up when I ran away, and I know I've already apologized for it, but I just wanted to say again that I'm really, really sorry." Neal could hardly look at the man standing before him.

Peter pulled the desk chair out from under the desk in the corner and placed it next to Neal's bed. He thought that maybe him towering over the kid was contributing to some of his nervousness. "I know you're sorry, Neal, so apology accepted. Now, what is it you need my help with?"

"Well, do you remember where you found me that night? Ummm….that's where I've been living the last two years. The man that called you….his name is Mozzie. He's my only true friend and he's always been there for me. I need to talk to him, Peter. About Keller, about this arrangement we have going on, about everything. He's probably worried sick."

"I told him we were taking you to Mt. Sinai, Neal. Why didn't he come and check on you?"

Neal gave a small laugh. "Mozzie's a little…well, he's a lot paranoid. He thinks the government is keeping all kinds of secrets from us and he steers clear of any kind of establishment that might perpetuate the lies being told by those in charge. But, he's a good guy, Peter! He helped me when no one else would. He made sure I had a place to sleep and food to eat. He made sure I had a warm coat in the winter and decent shoes. He taught me everything he knows about everything."

"What can I do to help?" Peter watched as a look of relief washed over Neal.

"Can you take me to him, tomorrow? I promise I won't over do it. I just need to talk to him and make sure that he's going to be okay." Neal turned his blue eyes up to Peter, full strength. Peter didn't stand a chance.

"Okay, Neal…..get some sleep and we'll see what we can do in the morning."

"Thank you, Peter. Just…..thank you!" Neal turned out the lamp and watched as Peter's shadowed form moved the desk chair back to the desk before slipping out the door. Neal was asleep within minutes.

* * *

The next morning, Neal was the last to get out of bed. He slowly showered, allowing the hot water to run over his head until it turned cooler. Getting out of the shower, he dried off and then checked out the rather large incision on the lower right part of his abdomen, the staples still in place. That would definitely leave a scar.

After getting dressed, he carefully walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Peter and Elizabeth had already eaten, but at the sight of him, Elizabeth quickly fixed him a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon. Neal loved Elizabeth's oatmeal.

Once he had eaten his breakfast and taken his medication, Neal looked expectantly at Peter. Peter just continued to read his newspaper and sip his coffee, until the repetitive sighs coming from Neal's side of the table finally broke through his concentration.

"I get it, Neal. You're ready to go." Peter laughed at the glare Neal threw at him. "Alright, let's go. Hon, we'll be back soon."

Peter gave Elizabeth a kiss on the cheek. She then turned and gave Neal a kiss on the cheek, too. "Be careful, okay? Listen to Peter and do what he says. And don't overdo it, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." Neal gave Elizabeth a quick smile, before following Peter out the door.

* * *

Once they were in the car, Peter had the brilliant idea to try to get Neal to talk. He really wanted to know more about his background.

"So, you said you've lived with Mozzie for about two years? Where did you live before that?"

"Here and there, I guess," Neal answered, evasively.

"Oh, did your parents move around a lot?" Peter thought he was being clever with the way he was questioning the kid. He had extensive FBI training, so interrogating a child shouldn't pose a problem. Of course, he should have taken into consideration that this particular child wasn't your average adolescent.

"Not exactly. Turn left at the next intersection."

"I know where I'm going, Neal. I came and picked you up there, remember? Now, what does 'not exactly' mean?" Peter stole a few glances at the boy sitting next to him, surprised to find him looking nervous.

"Peter, do we have to do this right now?"

"Yeah, I think we do. I know next to nothing about you, Neal. I think it's important to do this right now." Peter didn't think the kid would change his mind that easily, so he offered a solution. "How about this? For every question of mine you answer, I'll answer one of yours. That seems fair."

Neal seemed to contemplate this for a moment before answering. "This could be fun. Okay, let's do it. But, I have the right to not answer, if I don't want to, right?"

"Sure, but you can't refuse to answer every question. I'll go first." Peter thought that he should start simple, before getting into the good stuff. "What is your full name?"

Neal knew that Peter had already learned his last name, so the rest wasn't that important. "That's easy. Neal George Caffrey. Okay, my turn!" Neal thought for a few minutes before asking his question. "Why did you become a FBI agent?"

"I don't really have a good answer for that, actually. My first dream was to play baseball at a higher level, but I was injured. After that, I was faced with the decision of what to do with my life, now that my true dream was over."

"Were you good enough to go pro?" Neal asked.

"That's another question, Neal. Don't get ahead of yourself." Peter gave the boy a smile, hoping to put him at ease. "I think I was good enough, but the shoulder injury took me out of the dream. I thought about doing something with accounting, like my father, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. One day, when I was in college, a FBI recruiter showed up at a job fair I attended. After that day, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and here I am. Now, my turn…"

Neal eyed Peter, suspiciously. Peter just gave him a grin. "Neal George Caffrey, what was the last grade you completed in school?"

Peter didn't miss the blush that crossed Neal's face at that question. "Why does that matter?" Neal asked.

"It matters, Neal. If you're behind in your studies, we can hire a tutor. Or, Elizabeth and I can help you."

"I'm not behind in my studies, Peter. And formal education is so over-rated, don't you think? Half the stuff they teach is useless in the real world."

"You didn't answer the question, Neal." Peter knew a diversion technique, when he saw it.

"Fine! I finished the third grade. Are you satisfied?"

Peter wasn't satisfied, at all. How was it that this kid was able to skip almost seven years of schooling without someone noticing?

"You haven't gone to school since the third grade? How is that possible?"

Neal gave him his own little grin. "Well, actually, I went for a few weeks two years ago, before I decided that formal schooling just wasn't my thing. I wouldn't have done it at all, but Mozzie made me. The eighth grade sucked."

Peter looked at Neal, astounded by what he was hearing. "They placed you in the eighth grade, even though the last grade you finished was the third? That's ridiculous! Of course, you didn't like it…..you were probably completely overwhelmed by everything."

Neal gave Peter a look that could have defrosted a frozen turkey in five seconds flat. "Peter, do you really think that I couldn't handle the eighth grade? Seriously? I could have taught all the classes, if they would have let me. It would have been a piece of cake."

Peter had no idea how that could be true, but for some reason, he didn't doubt it for one minute.

* * *

Author's note: Peter is finally starting to get the answers he's been wanting for so long. More to come on that in the next chapter. What do you think of the questions so far? Are there any questions that you would like to see Peter or Neal answer?


	15. Sleeping Through An Alien Invasion

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 15

* * *

For once in his life, Peter was thankful for New York City traffic. Due to an accident up ahead, they had been stuck on the Expressway for almost thirty minutes, allowing Peter to continue his questioning of the boy sitting beside him.

"So, you're telling me that without any formal education after the third grade, and with only this Mozzie person teaching you, you were able to be placed in the eighth grade?"

Neal gave Peter a grin that he was slowly beginning to recognize as meaning he had gotten it wrong again. "Sure, Peter….if that's what you think."

"I don't know what to think, Neal. I'm trying to understand how it wasn't ever discovered that you weren't going to school anymore. Were you home-schooled after that? Did you have tutors?"

"I definitely had tutors, but they weren't the type you would approve of, Peter. Now, I think it's my turn to ask a question." Neal contemplated his next question for several minutes, making Peter a little nervous. "Have you ever had to use your gun on someone?"

Peter was a little surprised by the question and wasn't really sure he wanted to answer it. He didn't feel like it was necessary to go into that part of his job, but decided to be as truthful as he could. "I have, unfortunately," he answered, hoping that was enough to placate the boy.

"What happened? Did the person die?"

"Neal, I don't think I want to go into something so personal. It's not an experience I wish to relive, especially with a fifteen year old kid."

"I'm definitely not your average fifteen year old kid and that's not really fair, is it? You expect me to answer personal questions about myself, but you're not willing to do the same. That's not part of the deal we made."

Peter tried to think of a way out of this situation, but came up blank. After a long pause, he finally decided on the best way to answer. "I've used my gun a few times, but there was only one time where the person died. There is no justification for it, other than the fact that the man was armed and dangerous. I did what I had to do to keep my team safe."

Neal looked thoughtfully at the man next to him. "I can understand that. I've had to do things to keep myself safe, too. Things that I really didn't want to do."

Peter thought his heart might break at these words. Looking at Neal, he decided to try to lighten up things for a bit. "Okay, my turn…that first night you were at the house, you gave me your word, actually your Scout's honor, salute and all, that you wouldn't try to run. So, were you actually making a run for it?"

"What do you think, Peter?"

Peter gave Neal a sad smile. "I think that you never had the opportunity to be a Boy Scout, Neal. That's what I think."

Neal's smile was even sadder. "I think you're right, Peter."

* * *

After steering clear of more painful subjects for awhile, Peter opted to try again. "Neal, I'm going to ask you a tough question and I really hope that you will answer it for me."

Neal looked straight ahead of himself, seeming to sense where the conversation was heading. "No promises, Peter. Okay?"

"Of course, Neal, but I really hope by now that you understand that you can trust me. El, too. We're looking out for your best interests, even if it doesn't always seem like it."

Neal gave Peter a look of complete resignation. "What do you want to know?"

Peter took a deep breath before asking the one question that he really wanted to know. "Where are your parents, Neal?"

Neal's heart sank at the question, but he really wasn't surprised to hear Peter ask it. Who wouldn't want to know what happened to his parents, really? For a split second, he actually thought about opening the door and jumping out of the car, but he knew he wouldn't get very far. Peter may not look it, but he was actually pretty fast for an old man. Finally realizing the fact that he had no other choice, Neal broke his silence regarding his parents.

"My dad died when I was three, and then it was just me and my mom. When I was about eight, she got sick and she went into the hospital. I never saw her again. I really don't know what happened to her, all I know is from that point on I was by myself."

"What do you mean by yourself? Surely, someone stepped in to take care of you." Peter looked at Neal, dumb-founded beyond belief.

"Hey, it's my turn, right? Fair is fair. So…..my next question is… hmmmm…."

Peter forced himself to laugh at the kid's stalling technique, but all he really wanted to do was get him to talk some more. "Okay, Neal, if you can't think of a question for me, I get to go again."

"No, I got one! Of all the affordable, mid-sized cars to choose from, why would you ever pick a Taurus?"

This time Peter didn't have to force the laugh, it came naturally. "Why are you so fixated on the fact that I drive a Taurus? It's a good car. Since it seems like you're not going to ask a real question, I have one for you. What happened after your mom went into the hospital?"

If Peter didn't know better, he would guess that Neal was seconds away from jumping out of the car, even though they had picked up speed a little bit. This was definitely an uncomfortable conversation for the boy and Peter could tell that he was choosing his words carefully.

"I don't know why you think this is so important, but if you really have to know, I'll tell you. After my mom went away, I was sent to several different foster homes. They didn't work out. It seems like I'm not the type of kid that does well in the system, so I got out of it." Neal threw his words out as quickly as possible, never once looking at the man sitting beside him. "It's not that big a deal."

Peter actually felt angry at these words. "What do you mean it's not that big a deal? Neal, you were…are… a child. You're not supposed to have to take care of yourself. That's what adults do. The fact that you "got out" of the system, proves that the adults in your life, and the system itself, failed you entirely."

"It's okay, Peter. I learned how to take care of myself and I think I've done a pretty good job of it."

"I'm pretty sure getting caught up with the likes of Matthew Keller doesn't constitute doing a good job. I understand that you did what you had to do to survive, but that wouldn't have been the case, if you had someone to take care of you. Surely, you can understand that."

"It is what it is, Peter, right? There's nothing we can do about it now. I'm definitely not going back into the system. I'm almost an adult, anyway."

Peter rolled his eyes at this, not liking that Neal had used his own words against him. "You are definitely NOT almost an adult, kid, so you might as well get that thought completely out of your head. You deserve to be able to just be a child."

Neal looked out the window, a forlorn look on his face. "Can we be done with this? Please? I don't feel like talking anymore."

Peter gave Neal's knee a quick squeeze, before turning on the radio. "Okay, we'll take a break. Thank you for answering my questions, Neal. I really appreciate it. Now, why don't we find something on the radio that we can both listen to?"

* * *

By the time they reached Mozzie's apartment, Neal was looking and feeling worn out. Peter didn't know how much of that was physical or how much was emotional, but he was reconsidering his decision to allow Neal to leave the house. The boy had just undergone serious surgery and should be home resting, not wandering all over town.

Once he had parked the car, Peter went around the car to help Neal out. The kid looked at him as if affronted that Peter actually thought he couldn't get out of the car by himself, but he accepted the man's help, nonetheless. Several minutes later, with Neal having to lean heavily on Peter, they finally made it upstairs. Peter knocked loudly on the door, wanting the small man to hurry up and let them in, so Neal could sit down. After what seemed like an eternity to both of them, the door opened to reveal Mozzie, dressed in some sort of a delivery man costume.

"Neal, are you okay? What are you doing here?" Mozzie looked at his young friend, concern heavy on his face. "You don't look so good, mon frère."

Before Neal could answer his friend, Peter spoke up. "Can we please come in? Neal needs to sit down."

Mozzie stepped aside, allowing them to walk in. He followed Neal to the couch, throwing a blanket over him as soon as he sat down. Turning to Peter, he gave him a nasty look. "He doesn't look any better, Suit! What did you do to him?"

"Peter didn't do anything, Mozz. I'm just tired." Neal looked at Mozzie, preparing to say more, but Peter interrupted.

"I didn't do anything to him. He had a ruptured appendix and made it through a pretty extensive surgery. He's slowly healing, but I shouldn't have brought him here. He should be at home, resting."

"He is at home, Suit."

"Listen…. Mozzie, is it?" At a quick nod from the short man standing in front of him, Peter continued. "I don't want to argue with you. I'm here because Neal cares about you and wanted to talk to you about a few things. We have some concerns regarding Matthew Keller and Neal wants to make sure that you're safe."

"I appreciate the concern, Suit, but I've been taking care of myself for a long time. I can handle Matthew Keller, and when Neal comes home, I can protect him."

Peter and Mozzie looked over at Neal, who had, by this time, fallen asleep on the couch. Peter felt another surge of guilt at allowing Neal to push himself in this way. He should be protecting the boy, not giving in to him at every puppy dog look sent his way. He should have denied his request for the road trip to Mozzie's.

"I know you can take care of yourself, but until we arrest Keller, you need to be careful. Be extra vigilant. Keller is ruthless and will do anything to get to Neal. For the foreseeable future, Neal will continue to stay with me. You're welcome to check in on him whenever you want."

Peter pulled out a business card and pen. After writing his home address on the back of the card, he gave it to the other man. "I think Neal could use a rather long nap. Can we sit and talk things out?"

* * *

Neal woke up several hours later to an unbelievable sight. It seemed that sometime while he was sleeping, aliens had descended upon the earth, kidnapping either Peter or Mozzie and replacing them with these two reasonable facsimiles. The longer he watched them, the more he was convinced that both of them were obvious replicas of the original Peter Burke and Mozzie. There was absolutely no way that Mozzie would ever be caught conversing with a Fed in such a manner. For that matter, there was no way that Special Agent Peter Burke would ever be caught conversing with a criminal in such a way, either.

He laid there for several minutes, trying not to draw attention to himself, so he could better hear what they were saying. Neal wasn't surprised to hear that they were talking about him, but he was surprised, however, to hear Mozzie agreeing with Peter that Neal would be safest if he stayed with Peter and El. For a single moment, Neal thought that maybe Mozzie was tired of having him around all the time. He knew he wasn't the easiest person to live with, even on his best days, but he also knew that his friend wouldn't give up on him.

Finally, Peter took a second to check on Neal, and was surprised to see him awake. "Hey, bud…..how are you feeling?"

"I'd be feeling a lot better if I didn't think that I might have slept through the beginnings of an alien invasion."

Peter gave Neal a strange look, wondering if he might still be half asleep. Mozzie glared at Neal, understanding what he was implying and not amused by the words of his young friend. Neal couldn't help but laugh at the look on both men's faces, trying to figure out which was more comical.

"Never mind," he said. "I'm fine, Peter. What have you two been up to? Solving the world's problems?"

"Just about. Well, at least this little corner of the world. Now, I really want an answer to my previous question that doesn't include the word fine."

"Fine," Neal said, with a grin. "I feel all right. Is that better?"

"Marginally better, kid." Peter stepped over to the couch where Neal was struggling to stand. Offering his hand to the boy, he gently pulled the teen to his feet marveling again at how light he was and vowing to himself that he would do what he could to fatten the kid up. "While you were sleeping, Mozzie and I had a nice, long conversation about everything. He's agreed to be extra vigilant until we catch Keller...and he's agreed that you will be safer coming home with me." Peter wanted to add that he had never doubted the fact that Neal would indeed be returning with him. There was no way he would be leaving Neal here with the man that allowed him to live the life he was living.

Peter appreciated the fact that Mozzie had taken Neal in two years ago, giving him the most stable life he'd had in many years, but he still held the man responsible for allowing him to team up with Keller. Not to mention the fact that he allowed the boy to not go to school. He could tell that Mozzie was a very unconventional man, which wasn't all bad, but that definitely wasn't what a young child needed.

Neal looked up at Mozzie, earnestly. "Mozzie, you have to take this serious, okay? You have to watch out for Keller. You know how he is. He'll do anything to get what he wants, so please, promise me that you won't get complacent and forget that."

"You know how I feel about promises, Neal," Mozzie answered. "Only politicians, government officials, and bad parents make promises that they know can easily be broken. I will, however, give you my word to try my best to be extra vigilant. Now, the Suit is going to take you back to his house and try to make you behave like a regular kid. You and I both know that he is suffering from grand delusions, but it's his time he's wasting. At least, I'll know that you have good food to eat and a warm place to lay your head. You know my special phone number, so I expect regular updates on how things are going. If not, I'll be forced to employ secret measures to ensure that everything is as it should be."

Neal couldn't help the smile that now crossed his face. He promised, in no uncertain terms, that he would stay in touch as much as possible. He also promised that he wouldn't allow this experience to crush his spirit, that he wouldn't become some sort of Stepford child. Peter, of course, rolled his eyes at this.

* * *

Once they were back in the car, Neal sat in stony silence. Peter tried to engage him in conversation, telling him of some of the many vacation stories he and El had created. Neal showed appropriate interest in the stories, but offered no more than one or two word replies. Peter chalked it up to being emotionally and physically exhausted, but began to grow more and more concerned when he noticed the kid staring at him frequently.

"Let's hear it, kid...out with it. What's on your mind?"

Neal looked surprised to be found staring at Peter in such a way. He had a lot on his mind, for sure, but he wasn't sure that what he was wondering would be an appropriate subject. "I'd rather not talk about it, Peter."

"Come on, Neal...it's obviously bothering you, so I want to help, if I can."

Several long minutes passed before Neal finally built up enough courage to ask Peter one last question. Taking another quick glance at Peter, Neal suddenly blurted out his question, one that had been bothering him for quite some time.

"Why did you and El never have any kids of your own?"

* * *

Author's note: Thank you to all of you that have favorited this story or put in on an alert. Also, to those of you who take the time to review. many thanks! I try to reply to each of the reviews I receive, so if I missed replying to you, please know that it wasn't intentional. I've gotten several guest reviews, too, but unfortunately there isn't a way to reply to those. One particular guest reviewer gave me the idea for Neal's last question. Whoever you are, thank you for that.

I hope you are all doing well. The next chapter will be up soon,


	16. Tough Questions, Tougher Answers

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 16

* * *

Peter had no idea how much time had passed since Neal had asked his question, just that it seemed like a lifetime. For a single second, he felt immense loathing toward the kid for asking such a painful, personal question; in the next second, he realized how unfair that was.

The problem wasn't that he didn't necessarily want to answer the question. No…the problem was that he didn't know how to answer it. He wasn't sure that there really was an answer, actually. It wasn't that he and El and ever decided not to have kids. In fact, there was a time when they had even talked about the day that they would start their family. Peter imagined a little girl with long brown hair and El's beautiful blue eyes. He also imagined having a son that he could take to baseball games and teach to shave. He knew that Elizabeth would be a great mother, and he knew that he would try his best to be a good father.

Before either one of them realized it, though, they had been married for ten years and still hadn't been blessed with a child. It wasn't like they hadn't tried to get pregnant. It just never happened for them. At one point, they had seen a fertility specialist, but after several unsuccessful attempts, they decided to stop. The emotional toll it had taken on both of them was too much. Instead, they threw themselves into being the best aunt and uncle they could be to Peter's brother's kids. They would have the kids stay over whenever possible, which they both enjoyed completely, but afterwards the house would feel even emptier and way too quiet.

After awhile, their family and friends stopped asking when they were going to have a baby, and eventually they stopped talking about it themselves. They both threw themselves into their jobs and into each other, trying to fill the void they never talked about. It was just easier that way.

But now, Peter had a dilemma… he could refuse to answer the question, painting himself as a hypocrite, or he could ignore the pain in his heart and try his best to answer it. Looking at the boy sitting next to him, he knew he really only had one choice. After all of the difficult questions Neal had answered for him, he deserved the truth.

Before Peter could formulate his reply, Neal spoke up. "It's okay, Peter. You don't have to answer that question. It's really none of my business."

Peter looked at Neal, feeling a surge of warmth rush through him. "I appreciate that, Neal, but like you said earlier, I can't expect you to answer the hard questions, if I can't do it myself. The truth is, though, that I can't give you a good answer. El and I wanted kids, but it just never worked out for us. Instead, we have Satchmo and my niece and nephew." After a long pause, Peter looked at Neal, noticing the faraway look he had on his face. He wondered why the kid wanted to know, but didn't have the nerve to ask him.

* * *

Neal surprised himself by asking Peter that particular question. He wasn't sure why he even thought to ask such a thing, just that he had been wondering ever since they had met why they didn't have kids. Through the years, he had put a lot of thought into what kind of parents he would want for himself, and he was beginning to realize that Peter and Elizabeth would fit that bill perfectly. They would have been great parents. He would sometimes allow himself to daydream about what it would be like to be the son of Peter and Elizabeth Burke. He wondered if maybe he would have liked baseball, if he had grown up with Peter teaching him how to throw a ball and taking him to games. He wondered what it would have been like to have Peter teach him how to drive and how to shave. He could imagine all the nights spent in the kitchen with Beth, learning to cook. He imagined her taking care of him when he was sick. He already knew from his recent experiences with the Burkes how they reacted to disobedience, and he knew that even though they were strict, they were also fair.

Waiting for Peter to answer, Neal began to wonder if he had gone too far with his question. It really wasn't any of his business and he wouldn't have blamed Peter if he didn't want to answer. To say that he was surprised when he did was an understatement.

"You have a niece and nephew? I didn't even know you had a brother or sister." Neal looked at Peter, trying to imagine him as a child. "Do they live close by? What about your parents?"

"My parents live in Washington, DC and my brother and his family live in Philadelphia. We see each other usually four to five times a year, depending on what's going on. My brother, David, and his wife, Hannah, have two kids, Eva and Will. Eva just turned five and Will is your age." Peter looked at Neal like he just had the greatest idea. "I bet you guys would get along great. I should call my brother and set up a visit soon."

"I don't know, Peter. Don't you think that might be weird? Do they even know about me?"

Peter was surprised by the insecurity he heard in Neal's voice. "Of course, they know about you, Neal. I told my parents all about what was going on right after I brought you home. And I talked to my brother when you were in the hospital, because I missed our annual fishing trip."

Peter could tell by the look on Neal's face what he was about to say. Before Neal could get anything out, though, Peter continued. "Neal, you can go ahead and wipe that look off your face. You have no reason to feel responsible for me missing the fishing trip. It happened and there's nothing to be done about it now. It is what it is, remember? Besides, we'll just reschedule it. No harm done."

Neal had returned to looking out the window, a look of sadness on his face. Peter was really beginning to hate that look, and found himself willing to do whatever it took to put a smile back on the kid's face. "Hey, I have an idea. I'll call David and see if we can do the fishing trip in a few weeks. By then, you'll be completely recovered, and I'm sure you'd be happy to get away from the house. We could throw some swimming in there, too. What do you think, Neal?"

He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Neal's face light up at first, before that same sad look of uncertainty overtook him again.

"That sounds good, Peter, but I should probably tell you that I don't really know how to fish. Or swim, for that matter."

Peter gave Neal a smile that he hoped convinced the kid of his sincerity. "That's what I'm here for, bud."

* * *

Peter was relieved when they finally made it home. Sometime within the last thirty minutes of the drive, Neal had fallen asleep. Peter watched the boy, not surprised to see him sleep so restlessly. It had been a long day for both of them, especially on the emotional side of things. Peter had learned a lot about the young man he had invited into his home, but he knew there was so much more to learn.

As he watched Neal sleep, he went over and over in his head what he had learned from Mozzie. He knew that the little bald guy didn't trust him because he was "a suit," but he was somehow able to convince him that his motives were noble when it came to protecting Neal. He really did only have his best interests at heart.

Mozzie told Peter what little he knew of Neal's life before they had met. Neal had never really been forthcoming when it came to his past, so what little Mozzie knew had been gleaned by witnessing Neal's frequent nightmares and conversations directly after he woke up. The few times Mozzie had tried to talk to the kid about things in the light of day had quickly been shot down.

Through some of the nightmares and conversations afterwards, Mozzie had learned a little about Michael and Annie Baylor. He could tell by the way Neal closed in on himself at the mere mention of their names that they were a very sensitive subject. One particular night, Neal woke up screaming for Annie, tears streaming down his face. By the time Mozzie arrived in his room, he was sitting up in the bed, repeating over and over, "She's gone, Mozz. She's gone." Mozzie had never heard such heartbreaking words. He assumed Neal was talking about his mom, but when he asked, Neal just replied, "No, Mozz, not my mom. It's Annie. She's gone and she's never coming back."

Through the course of the next several months, Mozzie learned that Annie and Michael were Neal's foster parents and that they were killed in a car accident, on their way to pick him up from school. He never learned any more than that, but he could tell that poor Neal cared a lot for the Baylors.

Learning this information afforded Peter a glimpse into part of Neal's childhood. He could only imagine some of the rest, knowing that the boy had been in the foster care system for such a short period of time. It was obvious that his experience there was anything but good. Once again, anger surged through Peter at the thought of how easy it was for Neal to run away and not be found. In his years as a FBI agent, Peter had learned to trust the system, despite knowing that there were always flaws. But, this situation made him furious. Neal should have been taken care of. He shouldn't have ever felt the need to run away.

Thinking about all of this made Peter realize one thing…..he could never, ever entrust Neal to that very system again. Ever.

* * *

Once they were back in the house, Elizabeth swooped down on them like a vulture, checking Neal over from head to toe, asking questions about how their day had gone, and throwing Peter dirty looks when she realized how wiped out Neal looked.

After a quick dinner of chicken and broccoli, they all retired to the living room to watch a movie. Barely twenty minutes into it, Neal was fast asleep, his head resting on a pillow in Elizabeth's lap. Peter used that time to fill Elizabeth in on what he had learned about Mozzie, as well as Michael and Annie. Elizabeth listened closely as she carded her hand through Neal's hair. She couldn't help the tears that fell as Peter told her everything he knew.

Once the movie was over, Peter tried to wake Neal up, but the boy wouldn't stay awake. Finally, at Elizabeth's insistence, he leaned over and picked Neal up, cradling him in his arms like a small child. He couldn't stop the smile that crossed his face when he thought about how annoyed Neal would be if he was awake.

Once they were in Neal's room, Peter waited for Elizabeth to pull the blankets down before gently laying Neal in his bed. Elizabeth tucked the blankets around him and tenderly kissed his forehead. Peter felt a sudden urge to do the same thing, but hastily followed his wife out of the room instead.

* * *

When Neal woke up he was surprised to find himself in his room. The last thing he remembered was lying down on the couch to watch a movie with Peter and Elizabeth. He had been doing fine until Elizabeth started carding her fingers through his hair, quickly lulling him into a deep sleep. How he had gotten up to his room was a mystery, although he had a sneaky suspicion that Peter had something to do with it.

After taking a quick shower, Neal walked downstairs to find Elizabeth and Agent Barrigan talking as they drank their coffee. "Good morning, Beth. Hi, Agent Barrigan." Without waiting for a reply, Neal continued. "What are you doing here, Agent Barrigan? Where's Peter?"

Elizabeth gave Diana a quick look and then turned to Neal. "Good morning, sweetie. Peter had to go into the office. There was an incident this morning regarding Keller, so he's checking into it. Agent Barrigan is here as part of our protection detail."

Neal went over to the cupboard, pulling out a bowl and his favorite cereal. Grabbing the milk from the fridge and a spoon, he made his way over to his chair. "What time did I fall asleep last night? And how did I get upstairs?"

"You were out within twenty minutes of the movie starting, Neal," Elizabeth laughed. "You were so sound asleep that Peter had to carry you upstairs."

Neal figured as much, but to hear it out loud was embarrassing. At least, Peter wasn't there to rub in it. "So, what happened this morning with Keller?"

Elizabeth looked like she was going to say something, but after a shared look with Diana, she stopped herself. Instead, Diana started talking. "We can't give you any details right now. It's official FBI business."

Neal gave out a small laugh at her words. "Oh, come on. If Peter were here, he'd tell me. Besides, if it has to do with Keller, it has to do with me, so I have a right to know."

"Nice try, Neal, but it's not happening," Diana said with a grin. "You can try that smooth talking on someone else. I'm not buying it."

Neal turned to Elizabeth at those words. "Come on, Beth! This isn't fair."

"Neal, please, just let it go for now. When Peter gets home, we can talk to him, okay? Now, you better eat your cereal before it gets all soggy."

Neal started eating his already partially soggy cereal, and wisely chose to drop the fight for the moment.

* * *

Peter didn't make it home until after eight o'clock that night and he was in a terrible mood. Elizabeth made sure to keep his food warmed up for him, but by this time he was so tired that he really wasn't hungry. Not that he didn't appreciate the effort.

Before he could even take his jacket and tie off, Neal had appeared before him, asking question after question. Peter had already made up his mind on just how much information he was going to share with the kid, so he felt like he was as prepared as he could be.

Boy, was he wrong.

* * *

Author's note: I really hope this chapter answered some questions in a satisfactory way. The subject of Peter and Elizabeth not having children can be answered in so many ways, so I hope you like my version of the answer. Also, Peter and Elizabeth finally know a little about Michael and Annie and about Neal's childhood. More on that to come, I promise.

I have several ideas on what's coming up, but first I wanted to see what you all think about the pace of this story. Is it too slow? Too fast? Just right? I'd love to know what you all think, so I can adjust accordingly.

Thank you all so much for reading and for reviewing. I should have another chapter up in a few days.


	17. Don't Mess With The Bull

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 17

* * *

Neal had been brooding for most of the day, his resentment building at always being kept in the dark about things that directly pertained to him. Agent Barrigan had received several phone calls throughout the day, and then would talk cautiously with Elizabeth when Neal was out of hearing. He sat in the living room, pretending to read a book, but instead he was trying to read Diana's and Elizabeth's lips. He had a right to know what was going on, after all.

Mozzie had always been really good at reading lips, but Neal had never mastered the trick. Actually, he had never even come close to succeeding, which only served to annoy him. Neal hated to fail at anything. Failure was a sign of weakness to him.

As he watched the conversation between the two women, he was able to pick up a word occasionally. He could definitely make out the word Keller, and quite often he saw his own name cross one of their lips. Other than that, he couldn't figure anything else out, which annoyed him even further. He already knew that whatever they were saying was about Keller, and if Keller was involved, it wasn't too far of a stretch to know that Neal was involved, too.

Every so often, Elizabeth would look up at Neal, only to find him seemingly engrossed in whatever book he was reading. Neal had always been really good at interpreting body language, so he could always tell the split second before Elizabeth looked up at him, giving him just enough time to lower his eyes back to his book. This went on for several hours, until Neal finally dozed off on the couch.

An hour later, he woke up to more hushed talking in the kitchen. Quietly standing up, he made his way to the kitchen, hoping to overhear something important. He could only hear Diana's voice and figured that she was probably talking on the phone.

"Everything's good here, boss. Your wife is making dinner and Neal's asleep on the couch."

Diana laughed at whatever Peter had said. "Yes, I'm sure he's still there. I just checked on him five minutes ago. He's sleeping like a good little boy."

Neal cringed at these words, not happy at being called a little boy.

"I'm sorry, boss….I thought for sure we had him this time. Well, at least he knows we're on to him. He's bound to mess us sometime. No one was hurt, right? Everyone's okay?"

Neal's heart nearly stopped at those words. Had Peter been in danger? He inwardly cursed when Diana turned away from the door, making it harder to hear her reply. Without thinking, he barged into the kitchen, surprising both women. Without hesitation, Diana drew her weapon, pointing it at Neal.

"Damn it, Neal! What were you thinking, barging in here like that?! I could have shot you!"

Neal felt his knees go weak at the sight of the gun pointing at his face. It wasn't the first time he'd ever had a gun pointed at him, but it really wasn't something you could get used to. Relief flooded over him when Diana quickly lowered the gun; however, it was short-lived when he saw the look on her face. She could be an extremely intimidating woman.

"Was that Peter? What happened? Is he okay?" Neal tried to control the panic in his voice, but was fairly sure that he was unsuccessful.

Elizabeth looked at Diana, too. She was anxious to find out what happened, as well.

"He's fine. They ran into a little snag, but no one was hurt."

Neal was not willing to accept that as an answer. "What does that mean, a little snag? What happened?

"Neal, you might as well stop right now. I'm not going to tell you anymore than that. If Peter wants to tell you the details when he gets home, that's his choice. Now, if you'll please give Elizabeth and I some privacy…."

Neal turned to plead his case with Elizabeth, but quickly noticed the look on her face. It was obvious he wasn't going to get any support from her on this matter, so after sending an irritated look at both of them, he went up to his room.

* * *

Hours later Neal heard the front door open and he went downstairs as fast as his still healing body would allow. He could tell Peter was in an extremely bad mood, but that didn't stop him from mounting his version of the Spanish Inquisition. In hindsight, he would have been smart to pick up on Peter's body language, which was obviously telling him that he was in a no-nonsense, don't argue with me type of mood.

Before Peter could even take off his jacket and tie, Neal bombarded him with questions. "What happened? Are you okay? How did Keller get away? What are you going to do now?"

"I'm fine, Neal, but if you don't mind, it's been a really long day and I need to talk to Diana and Elizabeth."

Peter headed into the kitchen, where he could hear Diana's voice. He didn't realize that Neal was hot on his heels, until the boy, in his haste to not miss anything, stepped on his heel, nearly knocking him down. "Neal! Go on up to your room, okay? I need to brief Diana on a few things."

Neal adamantly stood his ground. "I want to know what happened, too, Peter."

"This isn't up for discussion, Neal. Go to your room." Peter couldn't keep the frustration out of his voice. He was way too tired to deal with Neal's stubbornness at the moment.

"No. I don't want to go to my room. I want to know what's going on. This involves me, too, Peter. It's not fair that you guys keep excluding me from everything." Neal had never seen Peter's face turn so red, and he figured he might have gone too far. He wasn't backing down, though.

Peter couldn't believe the gall of the boy standing in front of him. For a split second, he actually thought he might smack the boy's backside, like his father would have done if he had been so insolent, but the thought quickly left him. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked apologetically at Elizabeth and Diana, who were staring speechlessly at the unfolding scene, before grabbing Neal by the arm and leading him out of the kitchen. He made sure that his grip wasn't too tight, but that it was firm enough to ensure Neal wouldn't pull away.

Leading Neal over to the couch, Peter pointed for him to sit. "I don't know what's gotten into you, little man, but I can tell you that it needs to stop. Right now, understand?" Peter continued, not waiting for a response. "I know you're upset, Neal, but that doesn't give you the right to be disrespectful and insolent."

Peter could tell that Neal was getting angrier and wondered how he had messed things up so badly.

"You lied to me, Peter. When you were discussing the house rules, you said that rule number two was no lying and that we had to be honest with each other, remember?"

Peter was surprised to see what Neal was so upset about. "I do remember, Neal, and I haven't lied to you. Being honest doesn't mean that I have to tell you everything, it just means that I'm honest with what I do tell you."

"But, that's not fair! I don't understand why you think you have to hide things from me. I can handle it, Peter. I'm not a kid!"

"I know you can handle it, kid. I just feel like there are things that you shouldn't have to handle. When I was your age, the only thing I worried about was staying out of trouble with my dad and whether or not the cute girl in my English class even knew I existed. That's what I want for you, Neal. I want you to be able to be a regular kid, with regular kid problems. I can handle the other stuff."

Neal's face crumpled at Peter's words. "That's the problem, though, Peter. I'm never been a regular kid with regular kid problems and I don't think I _can_ be that kid. As long as I can remember I've had to take care of myself and the one thing I've learned is that I always do better with more information. Otherwise, my imagination runs wild and I end up making bad decisions when I try to figure things out."

Peter looked thoughtfully at the boy sitting before him. "Okay, let me bring El and Diana in here, so I only have to say things once. But, Neal, after that you and I are going to have a little chat about what just happened, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Neal said, softly.

* * *

Once everyone was seated, Peter recounted the events of the day. They had received a very reliable tip that Matthew Keller was holed up in an abandoned building in Brooklyn. Knowing that he was so close to their home, made Peter angrier than he could say. Peter had gathered up a small task force, including a SWAT team and they had quickly surrounded the building.

After entering the building, they were met with gunfire from several different areas. It didn't take long, though, for the SWAT team to neutralize the situation. After it was all over, they had arrested several people and confiscated a rather large cache of stolen art. Unfortunately, Matthew Keller was nowhere to be found.

Peter had spent the rest of the afternoon interrogating the men they had caught and going through the art they had recovered. With what they had recovered, they were able to close out several of their open cases, which made everyone in the White Collar unit happy... except Peter. The only thing that would have made him happy was if they had caught Keller. The men they had caught were being exceptionally close-lipped about Keller's whereabouts, but Peter had high hopes that they would realize the benefits of making a deal with the FBI. Only time would tell.

* * *

When Peter was done filling everyone in on what had happened and reassuring them all that he was never really in any danger, Diana left to go home. Elizabeth went upstairs, leaving Neal and Peter alone in the living room. Neal stood up and made as if to head upstairs, but Peter quickly stopped him.

"Whoa, there, buddy…..We have a few things to discuss, remember?"

Neal reluctantly sat back down on the couch, not looking forward to the upcoming conversation, in the least. He grabbed the blanket that he had curled up with earlier for his nap, and began pulling at some of the loose threads, not wanting to look at Peter.

Peter couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. How many times had he sat in the same exact way, waiting for his father to start lecturing him? How many times across America was this exact scene playing out somewhere else? Peter didn't know where to start, but after several long seconds he decided to just dive in.

"Neal, I know you were upset and frustrated earlier, but that doesn't give you the right to act the way you did. You've got to understand that, even if you don't always agree with what I say, I'm the adult and you're the kid here. I don't expect blind obedience, but I won't tolerate outright disobedience, either. I'm always willing to listen to what you have to say, as long as it's done in a mature and respectful way and if you had given me the chance, I would have explained my intention to talk to you after I briefed Diana. You standing there, defiantly telling me that you wouldn't do what I asked, was not a respectful act."

By this time, Neal's legs were jiggling slightly, an unusual sign of nervousness from the usually unruffled teen. For some reason, this sight tugged at Peter's heart.

Finally, Neal raised his eyes to meet Peter's. "I'm sorry, Peter. I didn't mean to be disrespectful. I was just afraid that you were going to leave me out again, and I got mad."

"I appreciate your honesty, bud, and I would appreciate it if you try not to let that happen again. Now, about your punishment... tomorrow you can take a few hours to pull some weeds in Elizabeth's garden. It's been a little neglected these last few weeks."

Neal smiled at these words. Peter didn't have to know that he actually enjoyed gardening, did he? During his short time with the Baylor's, Annie and Neal had started their own garden and Neal had cherished the time he spent with her taking care of it. He had always told himself that he would one day have a garden of his own. Nope, Peter definitely didn't need to know that pulling weeds was anything but a punishment to Neal.

* * *

Author's note: It's only been two days since my last update, but there's some exciting stuff coming up in the next few chapters and I can't wait for you all to read it. Normally, I like to wait four to five days, to give you all time to read and (hopefully) review. Good thing for you all (I hope), I'm feeling impatient.

Hope you enjoy this one. Thanks for reading.


	18. Bad Choices All Around

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 18

* * *

Several weeks later, Peter, Elizabeth and Neal were gearing up for the rescheduled annual Burke Family fishing trip. Normally, it would just be Peter, David and Will, but this time the ladies decided to join them, as well. Peter was excited to learn that his mother and father would be making the trip, too. Neal, on the other hand, had mixed feelings about the trip, wishing that it could be just him and Peter. He didn't want Peter to know, but he was really nervous about meeting his family.

Facing a three hour drive to the cabin they would be staying in, Elizabeth packed a lunch, making sure to include Neal's favorites. She could tell that the boy was nervous about the upcoming weekend, and wanted to make it better for him in any way she could. She remembered the first time she had met the Burke family, finding it a little intimidating herself. Of course, within a short period of time, she felt like part of the family.

The trip to the cabin went smoothly, but they were all happy to get out of the car when they finally arrived. Neal was relieved to find that they were the first ones there, appreciating having the time to scope out the place by himself. He figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to find a place to hide, in case things got to be too much for him.

After they had the car unloaded, Elizabeth started putting things away, while Peter gave Neal a more formal tour of the property, which had been in the Burke family for many years. He also thought it was a good time to go over some ground rules, knowing from experience how much trouble a teenager could get up to here.

"The lake is right down that path, Neal, but I don't want you going down there alone, okay? And don't go wandering off into the woods, either. It's easy to get turned around in there. The last thing I need is to have to tell the U.S. Marshall's office that I lost you."

Neal couldn't help laughing. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Pulling up his pant leg, he pointed at the tracking device, wondering how it was that Peter could have forgotten it. Peter had been the one to make sure that it was back on before he had left the hospital.

"I didn't forget it, Neal; I'm just not sure how well it will work in the midst of all these trees. We're quite a ways out of the city, so reception may be sketchy. Electronics aren't always perfect." Peter looked at Neal, making sure he was listening. "Besides, I thought I might take it off for awhile. You probably shouldn't swim with it on and it would prevent some uncomfortable conversations if I removed it. So, are we clear on the rules?"

"We're clear, Peter. I'll be a good boy, I promise."

Peter wasn't sure that being a _good boy _ was possible for the mischievous kid standing before him, but decided to keep his mouth closed on the subject. "Okay, well, everyone should be here soon. Let's go see if we can help El get things put away.

Between the three of them, they had everything put away and the cabin cleaned rather quickly. Peter and Elizabeth both noticed that Neal had grown unusually quiet.

"What's wrong with him? Do you think he's sick?" Peter looked at his wife, hoping she knew what was wrong with the boy.

"He's not sick, hon. He's nervous."

"What's he nervous about? Meeting my family? Why in the world would he be nervous about that?" Peter couldn't fathom how anyone could be nervous meeting his family. They were all great people. Granted, his dad could be a little intimidating, but that was beside the point. They were completely harmless.

"Peter, your family can be a little intimidating at first. I know he'll warm up to them in no time, but right now he needs our support. Go and talk to him, please." Elizabeth gave her husband a push toward Neal, who was looking nervously out the front window.

"Hey, kid…..how are you doing?" Neal jumped at the sound of Peter's voice beside him.

"I'm fine…..I mean, I'm alright. Just wondering when everyone is going to get here." Neal tried to sound calm, not wanting Peter to know how he was really feeling. He hated the fact that his voice came out shaky.

Peter placed a hand on Neal's shoulder. He could feel Neal stiffen, but kept his hand in place. "They should be here any minute. Neal, I know you're nervous, but there really isn't any need for it. I know my parents will love you and will treat you like one of their own. Same goes for my brother and his family. Will and Eva have always wanted a cousin to play with.

Before Neal could say anything, two cars pulled into the driveway. "What do you say we go help them unload, kid?"

Neal followed Peter out the door. He stood back while everyone piled out of the cars and greeted Peter with hugs, kisses and hearty back slaps. Once they were all done, they all turned to look at Neal, who looked like he was trying to blend in with the front porch. Peter walked up next to Neal, again putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Everyone, this is Neal. Neal, this is everyone." At the sound of his father clearing his voice loudly, Peter continued. "Neal, these are my parents, Ben and Catherine."

Ben stepped forward and shook Neal's hand, while Catherine pulled him into a hug. Neal was surprised by the hug, but quickly decided that it definitely ranked in the top three of best hugs he had ever received.

"Neal, sweetie, it's so nice to finally meet you. Peter has told us so much about you."

"Thank you, ma'am," Neal said, softly.

"Now, don't you be ma'aming me, young man. You'll call me Nana Cat like Will and Eva do, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am…..I mean, Nana Cat." Neal's face turned red when they all laughed at his mistake.

Peter gave Neal a smile before going on with the introductions. After awkwardly shaking hands with David and Hannah, and giving a small wave to Will and Eva, Neal was thankful for Elizabeth coming out, taking some of the attention away from him. A few minutes later, they were all inside, with the adults trying to figure out the sleeping arrangements. Much to Neal's dismay, it was decided that he and Will would be sharing a bedroom. Neal would have preferred to just sleep on the couch.

* * *

By the next evening, Neal was feeling pretty comfortable around Peter's family. They had spent the day at the lake; the guys fished for most of the morning, then they all spent the afternoon swimming and laying around on the small beach area. Luckily, Neal found out that he was somewhat of a natural swimmer, and by late afternoon, he and Will were taking turns diving off the dock and swinging off a tire swing that Ben had put up years ago. The two boys got along pretty well, but Peter did notice that everything seemed to turn into a competition between them. He would have to keep an eye on them to make sure it didn't get out of hand.

Eva took an immediate liking to Neal and followed him everywhere. Peter was surprised that Neal didn't seem to mind it. He was extremely patient with the five year old, making sure to listen to her when she was talking to him and even catching her over and over again as she jumped off the dock into his arms. Elizabeth thought that the two of them together was probably the cutest thing she had ever seen.

After dinner that evening, they all sat out on the front porch talking about whatever topic came up. Neal was particularly interested in hearing stories of when Peter and David were children. Boy, those two were a handful, according to Ben.

Once the talk turned to politics, Neal and Will huddled together on their own. Eva had fallen asleep earlier, sitting next to Neal, but was now in bed. Peter couldn't help but notice the two boys head to head and wondered what they were talking about. If he didn't know better, he would have thought they were up to something.

Eventually, Neal and Will were sent to bed, with Peter and David both citing the fact that they were getting up early the next morning to go fishing again. The boys argued at having to go to bed so early, but quickly stopped after the look Ben gave them. After saying their goodnights, the two slowly walked to their room, whispering along the way.

* * *

Peter wasn't sure what woke him up at two-thirty in the morning, but he could immediately tell that something was off. He was happy to see that Elizabeth was sound asleep next to him. Getting out of bed, he realized that he could hear Satchmo whining. The dog had taken to sleeping wherever Neal was, but at the moment he was near the front door, which was unlocked. Peter found that odd, because he had locked the door himself before going to bed. "What is it, Satch? What's wrong, boy?"

Satchmo immediately began whining louder and scratching at the door. Peter thought for a moment that maybe the dog just really needed to pee, but the minute he opened the door, Satchmo bolted out and ran toward the lake.

Deciding to check on Neal before following his crazy dog, Peter turned and quickly walked down the hall to the room the boys were sharing. Opening the door, Peter realized that the room was empty. Neal and Will were nowhere to be found. Inwardly cursing, Peter realized that he had never put the tracking anklet back on Neal's leg.

* * *

Minutes after discovering that the boys were gone, Peter received another shock. Waking up David and Hannah, they quickly discovered that Eva was gone, too. By this time, Elizabeth, Ben and Catherine were all awake and panic had set in. Elizabeth tried to console Hannah, who was on the verge of losing it, all the while needing someone to console her, too. It seemed that one of her worst nightmares was coming true. Why did it seem that Neal was always running away? Why was she always worrying for his safety?

Peter and David dressed as fast as they could, grabbed several flashlights and headed out the door, trying to follow Satchmo. They could hear the dog barking and Peter knew that he had taken off in the direction of the lake, so that's where they headed.

Minutes later, they made it to the docks to find Neal and Will trying to get Satchmo to stop barking. The two boys had obviously been swimming in the lake, a realization that made Peter see red. Hadn't he told Neal that he wasn't to go to the lake alone? Surely, he realized that Peter meant that he shouldn't go to the lake without an adult, too. And especially not at night.

It only took a few seconds for Neal and Will to realize that they had been caught. Peter had never seen his brother so angry at his son, but really couldn't blame him. Stalking forward onto the dock, he mirrored his brother's behavior, both men yelling furiously for the boys to get out of the water.

"Neal George Caffrey, what the hell do you think you're doing? It's almost three in the morning. You're supposed to be in bed. What were you thinking?" Peter reached down and grabbed Neal's hand, hauling him out of the water. "Damn it, Neal….do you have any idea how stupid this was? You both could have drowned."

Before Peter could continue his tirade, his brother's raised voice interrupted him. "Where's Eva, William?"

Peter suddenly remembered that the girl was gone from the house, too, and frantically looked around.

"I don't know, dad," Will answered. "It was just Neal and I, honest. Eva wanted to come, but we told her she couldn't. We made sure she went back to bed before we left."

Peter could tell his brother was about to lose it, panic settling in again. "Neal, Will….go back up to the cabin. Tell everyone that we're looking for Eva. And stay there. I mean it, Neal. You'd better be there when I get back."

Neal immediately started to argue. "I want to help look for her, too, Peter."

"Damn it, Neal….for once in your life, do what you're told without arguing. I don't want to have to worry about the two of you getting lost, too." Before Neal could argue, David and Peter started yelling for Eva. Neal had no choice, but to do what Peter told him.

* * *

Once back at the cabin, the boys rushed to fill everyone in on what was happening, leaving out the fact that they had snuck out to go swimming. Neal knew the truth would come out soon enough, but he wanted to put off that moment for as long as he could. Ben immediately left to join the search for Eva, leaving Neal and Will to surrender to the coddling of the women.

After they had been deemed alright, Elizabeth and Hannah set out to join in the search. Catherine stayed with the boys, hustling about the kitchen, making them some hot chocolate. Neal felt like crying at the thought of something happening to Eva, and Will looked like he was about to be sick.

A few minutes later, Will stood up and ran for the bathroom, barely making it there before emptying his stomach, Nana Cat following him to make sure he was okay. As Neal sat there, listening to the sound of the boy retching violently, he decided that he couldn't just sit there and do nothing. Grabbing his sweatshirt, he left the cabin, heading into the woods to help search for Eva.

* * *

An hour later, Neal found himself truly lost. Peter hadn't been lying when he said that it was easy to get turned around in these woods. Neal usually had a good sense of direction, but there was very little moonlight to help him get his bearings. He wandered around for quite some time, before finally stopping. Several times he thought he heard shouting, but he couldn't tell what direction it was coming from. Every sound seemed to be swallowed up by the dense woods around him.

Settling himself down on a fallen log, Neal figured that he would just have to wait until sunrise to try to find his way back. He had been sitting there for several long minutes, wrapping his arms around himself to conserve his body heat, when he heard what sounded like small cries coming from nearby.

Walking toward where he thought the sound was coming from, Neal was amazed to see the small form of Eva, huddled under a tree. She had fallen asleep and was crying in her sleep.

Gently shaking her small shoulder, Neal called her name softly, not wanting to scare her. "Eva, wake up. It's Neal, Eva. I found you."

Eva woke up, anxiously looking all around her, before settling her eyes on Neal. Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, burying her face into his shoulder and sobbing. Neal held her tightly, feeling her small body trembling fiercely. After a few minutes, he shifted her away from his body long enough to take off his sweatshirt and wrap her up in it, before settling himself against the tree. It would prove to be a long night.

* * *

Author's note: Will Peter and the search party find Neal and Eva? Or will someone else? Stay tuned to find out. If I were a mean author, I'd hold the next chapter hostage until I received a hundred reviews, but I wouldn't do that. I like you all too much!

Thanks for reading and reviewing. You guys really are amazing!


	19. Reunions Can Be Hard On The Heart

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 19

* * *

Peter was trying to keep himself from panicking, but it wasn't really working. They had been searching the woods for over an hour and they were all tired and frustrated. David, Hannah and Ben returned to the cabin to check on Catherine and the boys, and to make sure that Eva hadn't come home while they were out searching for her. Peter and Elizabeth stayed out for a little longer. Peter had already decided that if he didn't find evidence of Eva in the next fifteen minutes, he was calling in reinforcements.

Peter's heart nearly leapt out of his throat when he came upon evidence of a campfire, the ashes still smoldering. There were cigarette butts littering the ground around the fire, as well as a few beer cans. This was private property and they had never had any issues with trespassers in the past. Without wasting any more time, Peter grabbed his phone, hoping above all else that he had decent reception. When he finally found a spot out in a clearing with good reception, Peter quickly called Clinton Jones. Within minutes, he had filled him in on what was going on and when he hung up the phone, he knew that Jones would get the appropriate things going to help.

Returning to the cabin, they were surprised to find everything in an uproar. David met them on the front porch, hurriedly informing them that Neal was nowhere to be found. Going inside, Peter and Elizabeth listened breathlessly as Catherine told them what had happened. Peter couldn't believe the kid had actually left, after he told him to stay put. Before his anger could explode out of him, a new feeling overcame him. Suddenly, he realized the ramifications of Neal being out on his own and evidence of someone camping nearby. What if it was Keller or one of his minions? What if it was a sexual predator? Or a serial killer? His imagination was running full speed ahead and he needed to pull himself together.

Peter ran into the bedroom and grabbed his gun out of the locked cabinet in the closet. Minutes later, he was back among his family, explaining to them exactly what he and Elizabeth had found in the woods, and what he thought it meant. Without further ado, Peter, Ben and David set back out to continue searching, instructing Elizabeth, Catherine, Hannah and Will to stay inside the cabin with the doors locked.

* * *

Neal woke up to the feeling of sunlight on his face and something sharp poking him in the back. It took him a few seconds to remember what had happened, but everything came back to him in a rush when he felt Eva shift in his arms. He had fallen asleep holding her as he leaned against a tree. Fortunately, the temperature didn't drop down too far during the night, but Neal and Eva had huddled together to conserve their body heat.

Once Eva was awake, she began to softly cry for her mother. Neal felt like crying for Elizabeth, too, but he couldn't give in to that feeling. He had to hold it together…..for Eva.

Once he had gotten Eva to calm down a little, Neal took some time to look around the woods surrounding them. He figured that if he could make it back to the lake, he'd be able to find his way to the cabin. Not wanting to waste any time, Neal took Eva's hand and led her down a path that he thought would take them toward the lake. After going about two hundred yards, he suddenly stopped, listening intently. He wasn't sure, but he thought he might have heard someone call his name.

Honing in on the direction he thought the sound came from, Neal picked up Eva and headed that way. He called out for help a few times, but the reply he received wasn't the one he wanted.

"Hello, Neal. It's a nice day for a walk in the woods, isn't it?"

In his haste to turn around, Neal almost fell. His heart sank at the sight of Matthew Keller standing before him. _What was he doing here? _Neal clutched Eva closer to him, quickly scanning his environment as he searched for an escape route.

"What's the matter, Neal? You don't feel like talking to an old friend?"

"You were never my friend, Keller," Neal spat out. "Friends don't run out on friends like you did."

"Oh, but I suppose in your world, it's okay for friends to rat out other friends to the FBI? Can you understand how I might be a little upset about that? You broke the code, kid."

Neal's heart sank again when he saw Keller reach into his pocket and pull out a gun. He knew the man wouldn't hesitate to use the gun, so his main concern suddenly became getting Eva out of the way.

"Keller, please…..Eva's just a little girl. She doesn't deserve any of this. Let me put her down somewhere safe and I'll come with you, okay?"

Neal knew that Keller would shoot him in an instant, but he was hoping that the extent of his evilness didn't include shooting five year old little girls. The man had to have some kind of heart left, right?

"Fine, but hurry up, kid. We need to get out of here, before that idiot Burke catches on to what's going on." Keller used the gun he was holding to urge Neal to hurry.

Neal felt a flash of anger at hearing Keller call Peter an idiot, but he knew better than to say or of anything in reply. Instead, he walked over to a fallen log in the middle of the small clearing they were in. Placing Eva down on the log, he knelt in front of her. The poor girl was crying and begging Neal not to leave her.

"Please, Neal, don't leave me here. I want to go with you. I'm scared."

Neal wiped the tears from her face and gently hugged her. "I know you're scared, Eva. I am, too. But, Uncle Peter and your dad are out looking for us. You'll be safe here, but you have to promise not to leave this area, okay? They'll find you, I promise, and when they do you have to tell Uncle Peter that I went with Matthew and he has a gun. Can you do that?"

Eva held on to Neal, tightly. "I will, Neal."

Keller was growing impatient. "Let's go, kid. No more stalling."

Neal gave Eva one last hug, before turning toward Keller. This wasn't going to turn out well, he thought to himself.

* * *

Peter, Ben and David had been searching for hours and were relieved when the sun finally came up. There hadn't been anymore evidence of their supposed trespasser, so far, but Peter had a bad feeling about it all. He knew in his gut that it was Keller. The man had followed them out to the lake, set up camp and waited patiently for his opportunity to grab Neal. What his endgame was, Peter didn't know.

Almost an hour after sunrise, Peter heard yelling coming from the left of him. Taking off at a dead run, he hoped with all his heart that Ben and David had found the kids, that the whole Keller thing was just his imagination gone wild. Entering into a small clearing, he was relieved to see his brother clutching Eva to his chest. After a few long seconds of looking around the clearing for Neal, his heart almost stopped when he realized that the boy wasn't there.

"Uncle Peter! That bad man has Neal. He has a gun!" Eva ran to Peter, throwing herself against his leg. "Neal told me to tell you that the man's name is Matthew. You have to help him," she sobbed.

After learning from Eva which direction they had gone, Peter turned to his father and brother. "Dad, take Eva back to the cabin. Tell Elizabeth to call Jones and tell him what's going on. David, come with me."

After a quick hug and kiss from Eva, David followed his brother into the woods.

* * *

Neal tried everything he could to stall. He knew that once they got into a car, it would be harder for Peter to catch up to him. For the first time since this whole FBI thing started, though, he saw the benefit of wearing a tracking anklet. It might take Peter awhile to find him, and Keller might shoot him first, but at least he would eventually be found. He felt like he might actually be sick when he remembered that he wasn't wearing his, though. Peter had taken it off for the weekend.

After falling for the third time, Keller finally caught on to what Neal was doing. "Quit stalling, kid. The next time you fall, I'm going to put a bullet in your leg. Then, I'll just pick you up and carry you."

From that point on, Neal was treading carefully. The way his morning was going, he would really fall and Keller would do exactly what he said.

Eventually, they came to a small service road and Neal could see Keller's car parked about half a mile away. Keller hustled him along, until they were finally standing beside the car, Keller fumbling in his pocket for the key. He had just found them, when Neal heard the most beautiful words ever spoken.

"Freeze! FBI!"

Before Neal could react, Keller had grabbed him and pulled him in front of himself, jabbing the gun into his neck. Neal looked down the road, not surprised to see Peter standing there, gun at the ready. He was slowly walking forward, stopping when he was about a hundred feet away.

Keller jabbed the gun even deeper into Neal's neck, causing the boy to cry out. "Drop your gun, Burke. I know you don't want anything happening to your precious little snitch, do you?"

Peter's hands were shaking, but he hoped Keller couldn't tell. He was glad that his voice came out rock solid. "Drop _your_ gun, Keller, and I'll make sure to tell the judge that you cooperated."

Keller laughed at Peter's word. "That's not going to happen, so it looks like we have ourselves a little stand-off here."

Peter continued to slowly inch forward, never taking his eyes off of Keller. "Keller, this is going to end one of two ways. You're either leaving out of here in the back of a police car, or you're leaving out of here on a stretcher. It's your choice."

Keller laughed again. "I'm not sure if you realize this, Burke, but I have a little insurance policy standing right here in front of me. As I see it, you have two choices. You can either let me and the kid go, or you can let me go while you're trying to stop the kid from bleeding out. It's your choice."

Before Peter could formulate an answer, he watched in disbelief as Neal took action. In a scene eerily reminiscent of the first time Neal met Keller; Neal threw his bony elbow into Keller's stomach. Once Keller's grip had loosened, Neal thrust his elbow back again, this time aiming lower. Keller completely let go of Neal, as he tried to catch his breath, allowing Neal to scamper out of the way. That was all the time Peter needed to rush forward and wrestle Keller to the ground, knocking his gun out of his hand.

Neal watched in horror as Peter and Keller wrestled on the ground. Keller was weakened by the blows Neal had dealt him, but he was still able to put up a fight. Peter's gun had been knocked away, too, so Neal's horror intensified when he saw Keller pull out another gun from his boot. Without hesitation, Neal ran over and picked up Peter's gun, pointing it carefully in the general vicinity of the scuffle.

* * *

Peter felt he had the upper hand in the situation, until he saw Keller pull out another gun. He searched frantically for his gun, while trying to keep Keller's hands pinned to the ground. In his peripheral vision, he could see Neal moving around. "Neal, get out of here. Go find David!"

Peter watched in horror as Neal picked up his gun and pointed it at Keller. "Neal, drop the gun!"

Neal, of course, didn't do as he was told. He kept the gun trained on Keller, watching as he threw his head forward, crashing it into Peter's head. Peter flew backward, allowing Keller to roll on top of him, bringing the gun toward Peter's head.

Peter flinched at the ensuing gunshot, surprised that he didn't feel any pain at all. His next thought was to worry about what would happen to Neal, now that he was about to die. These thoughts ran through his head in less than a second, before he realized that it wasn't him that had been shot. He watched in surprise as Keller slumped to the ground, moaning as blood poured from a bullet wound to his right shoulder.

Wasting no time, Peter jumped to his feet, stumbling slightly from the fair amount of dizziness he felt after Keller's head-butt. He quickly picked up both of Keller's guns, before turning to find a horrified Neal standing there, still pointing the gun at Keller. Peter walked slowly over to the boy, gently taking the gun from him. "It's okay, Neal. It's over."

After making sure the boy was okay, all the while keeping an eye on Keller, Peter took off his belt. Walking over to Keller, he pulled back both of his arms, ignoring the cry of pain that escaped him as he wrapped the belt around his wrists to secure them. "You're lucky, Keller, it's just a through and through. You'll be feeling better just in time to be arraigned on kidnapping and attempted murder charges."

Peter was relieved to see David coming toward him, having heard the gunshot. After reassuring him that he and Neal were both okay, he left David to watch over Keller, as he went to check on Neal.

The boy looked to be in a bit of shock, but Peter was proud to see that he was holding it all together. Grabbing Neal by both shoulders, Peter looked him over from head to toe. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Peter was relieved to see that, other than a few scratches from his trek through the woods, Neal was unharmed. He could feel the trembles that coursed through Neal's body, so he gently pulled him into his chest.

"I'm okay, Peter. I just want to go home."

Peter called David over, asking him to take Neal back to the cabin. He was surprised at Neal's reaction.

"No! Peter….I want to stay with you. Please!"

"Okay, little man. Just let David find you some place to sit, okay? I need to make a few phone calls."

Peter watched as David led a still trembling Neal a few yards away to sit on a large rock. Grabbing his phone, he was relieved that he had service. After a few quick phone calls, arranging for the local police to assist him and then filling Jones and Diana in on the recent events, Peter walked over to Keller. Taking off his sweatshirt, he held it to the bleeding shoulder wound, happy to see that it wasn't bleeding that badly.

"I think you might have picked the more painful way, Keller, but like I said….it was your choice."

* * *

Author's note: Well, that was my first real attempt at writing action. I'm not sure if I was successful, though. What do you all think? And how do you think Peter should react to Neal's disobedience, now that it's all over? The boy really needs to learn to listen, doesn't he?


	20. Believing Has Never Been So Hard

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 20

* * *

It took over an hour for Peter to finish up with the local police department and to make sure that they understood that they weren't to take their eyes off Keller for a single second. Jones had arranged for two FBI agents to meet them at the hospital and to stay with Keller at all times. Peter wasn't taking any chances. He knew how slippery Keller could be.

Neal had been sitting with David, while Peter was doing what he needed to do. He wanted desperately to go back to the cabin and climb in his bed, but he didn't want to go anywhere without Peter. Seeing Peter with a gun pointed at him had scared him more than he wanted to admit. He definitely never wanted to see something like that again.

Finally, they were on their way back to the cabin, Peter walking with one arm around Neal's shoulder. Neal was feeling guiltier by the second, knowing that if he had stayed at the cabin like Peter had told him to, none of this would have happened. Actually, if he and Will would have just stayed in bed, none of this would have happened. Keller would have never come out in the open to get to Neal, especially not after the failed attempt at the hospital.

The closer they got to the cabin, the more nervous Neal became. He knew that at the moment, Peter was just relieved that they were all safe, but eventually he would remember what had brought this all about. Neal wished that he could go back to the moment he had agreed to sneak out of the cabin with Will. The two of them had a bit of a friendly rivalry going on between them, and when Will told Neal that he was the better swimmer of the two, Neal had to prove him wrong. Will wanted to have a race the next day, but Neal didn't want to wait. No time like the present, he told Will. Half an hour later, they had successfully snuck out of the house, pausing only to make sure that Eva had gone back to bed after they told her she couldn't go with them. If only he could take all that back.

As they walked up the path to the cabin, Elizabeth came running out of the house. Without hesitation she ran to Neal, throwing her hands around his neck. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay, Beth. Really." Neal felt like holding on to Elizabeth and never letting go, but he could feel everyone's eyes on him.

Having been briefed a bit by Ben when he brought Eva back to the cabin, Elizabeth already knew that Keller had been involved. "What happened with Keller? Did he get away again?" Elizabeth looked at her husband, expecting an answer.

"We got him, El. He's in police custody. I'll tell you all about it once we get Neal cleaned up and fed, okay? It's been a long morning." Peter started to head into the cabin, expecting Neal and Elizabeth to follow, but Elizabeth had other plans.

"What were you thinking, Neal? Do you have any idea how worried we all were? You and Will could have drowned and we would have never known. You could have been lost for good in these woods. If the two of you hadn't snuck out of the house, Eva wouldn't have tried to follow you. Keller wouldn't have had the opportunity to kidnap you! What were you thinking, young man?"

Neal hadn't ever seen Elizabeth so upset and it was a sight he never wished to see again. She was downright scary and she didn't even know the whole story yet. He really didn't want to be there when she finally heard everything. He had a feeling that finding out that Neal had shot Keller would send her over the edge.

"I'm sorry, Beth. I know it was stupid, and I'm really sorry." Neal gave Elizabeth his very best puppy-dog look, hoping to charm his way out of at least a little bit of trouble.

"We'll talk about this later, Neal. Let's go inside." Elizabeth said, abruptly, before turning and leading the boy up the steps where everyone else was waiting.

After getting hugs from Nana Cat and Hannah, and a stern look from Ben, he followed Elizabeth into the cabin. Peter was in the kitchen, washing his face and hands. Once he finished, he turned to the group entering the kitchen, before honing in on Neal. "Go upstairs and shower, Neal. When you're done, we'll have some food ready for you. Then, we're due for a talk."

Without hesitation, Neal turned and walked upstairs.

* * *

Neal walked into the room he was sharing with Will, not surprised to find the boy sleeping soundly. A sudden weariness swept over Neal and he wanted nothing more than to climb into his bed and sleep for days. Unfortunately, that would have to wait.

Once he was done showering, Neal wasted as much time as he could, before heading back downstairs. He knew that he was in serious trouble, but that wasn't what he was dreading. No, what he was really dreading was the look of disappointment he would undoubtedly find on Peter's face. He thought that he could handle anything, but that.

Entering the kitchen, he was relieved to find Peter and Elizabeth were the only ones there. There was a bowl of soup and a sandwich waiting for him, but Neal really wasn't hungry. It seemed that guilt had a way of stealing your appetite, but Elizabeth wasn't about to let him refuse the food. Not wanting to upset her any more than she already was, Neal forced himself to eat.

Peter and Elizabeth were completely quiet during all of this, both watching him closely as he tried to eat. His mouth was so dry and he found it hard to swallow his food. Finally, he was able to choke down the last bite of his sandwich, following it with a swig of milk. The silence that had settled down around them during the meal was too oppressive and Neal couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm sorry! I know I shouldn't have snuck out of the house, and I know I should have listened to you, Peter. I should have stayed here like you told me to. I shouldn't have gone looking for Eva, but it was my fault she was missing and I couldn't just stay here while everyone else was looking for her."

Daring a look at Peter, Neal could tell that the man was really angry. Elizabeth was, too, for that matter, but of the two, she was his least concern. For the first time since he had met Peter Burke, Neal was intimidated.

"Do you have any idea at all of the ramifications of your recent choices, Neal? Do you realize how close you came to becoming Keller's next victim? I have no doubt that the man wouldn't have hesitated for a single second to kill you. He isn't the type of man to tolerate loose ends, and you are the biggest loose end he's ever encountered. Do you realize that everything that's happened recently happened because you find it impossible to just DO AS YOU'RE TOLD?" By this time, Peter was yelling at Neal, his face completely red.

Neal started to say something, but Peter cut him off. "No, Neal….I don't want to hear any more apologies or excuses. It's my turn, right now, and I am far from being done." Peter was no longer sitting at the table. Instead, he was pacing back and forth in the small kitchen, like a caged tiger. Neal watched him nervously, as if he might pounce at any moment.

"Barely a month ago, we discussed the rules of the house. Do you remember them, Neal?"

"Yes, sir," Neal quietly replied.

"Okay, then, tell me what rule number three is."

Neal looked at Elizabeth, silently begging her to rescue him, but she just looked at him, patiently waiting to hear his answer. It didn't seem that she would play the role of ally today.

"I'm waiting, Neal. Or do I need to go over them again with you?"

"No, I know it," Neal answered, quickly. "Rule number three is that I'm never to do anything willingly to jeopardize my safety."

"Ah, so you do remember the rules. Well then, I guess that means that you don't respect El and I enough to follow our rules. Is that it, Neal?"

"No, sir. I do respect you and Beth, honest."

"Well, you have a funny way of showing it, Neal. I don't think Elizabeth and I have expected too much from you. In the short time you've been with us, you've jeopardized your safety on two separate occasions. Why is that, Neal? Is it too hard for you to understand that we want you to be safe, that we want to be able to protect you? How can we do that if you keep making choices that lead to you endangering yourself? How can we trust you, if you are always doing whatever you want, regardless of our rules and expectations?"

Peter's voice was starting to rise again, until Elizabeth interrupted. "Sweetie, we just want to understand what's going on in that head of yours. We can understand why you wanted to help in the search for Eva, but we don't understand what would make you decide to sneak out of the house and go down to the lake when you were expressly told not to."

"Peter said not to go to the lake alone. I wasn't alone, Beth. Will was with me." Neal tried to explain his reasoning, but he knew it was a lost cause, when Peter suddenly exploded in anger.

"Damn it, Neal, don't try to justify your actions. You knew good and well that sneaking out at two o'clock in the morning would not be allowed. And I'm pretty sure you knew that when I said don't go alone, I meant don't go without an adult. You're a smart kid, Neal, so don't play dumb." Peter couldn't believe the nerve of this kid standing in front of him. Once again, he felt like taking a page out of his dad's parenting book and delivering a few well-deserved smacks to the boy's backside.

"I'm sorry, Peter….you're right. I _did_ know that you wouldn't want me to go down to the lake like that, so I snuck out. Will and I just wanted to have some fun. We didn't think it would be a big deal."

"Whose idea was it to sneak down there like that? And what exactly were you doing?" Peter hoped that the boy at least had a decent excuse.

"Well, Will kept telling me that he was a better swimmer than me and I wanted to prove him wrong. It was his idea to have a race, but he wanted to wait until morning. It was my idea to sneak out right then. But, Peter, if I had known that Eva was going to follow us, I wouldn't have gone. I didn't mean for her to get involved."

"But, that's just it, Neal. You _did_ go and Eva _did_ follow you. What if she had followed you into the water? Eva can't swim, Neal. She could have drowned. Or, she could have been lost for good in these woods. She could have fallen and broken her leg or fractured her skull." Peter could see the tears that were welling up in Neal's eyes, but didn't back down. "So many things could have gone worse than they did. Keller could have shot you right off the bat, Neal. He could have shot Eva. He could have kidnapped you and taken you someplace where we would have never found you. And then you go and do something even worse, than all that. Instead of doing what I told you to do, you picked up my gun. You completely disobeyed me, standing there pointing _my_ gun at Keller. Do you have any idea how scared I was when I saw that?"

"Peter, what was I supposed to do?" Neal asked, plaintively. "He had another gun and he was going to shoot you. I had to do something."

"No, you didn't. I'm a trained FBI agent, Neal. I've been trained to handle situations exactly like that one. Have you? Have you ever even shot a gun before? What if you had missed? What if you had shot me instead? What if Keller decided to shoot you instead of me?"

"I wouldn't have missed. And it would have been better if it was me, anyway. You have Elizabeth and the rest of your family. They need you." Neal looked solemnly at Peter, not offering any other explanation.

Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did the boy really think that it would have been better if Keller had threatened to shoot him? Did he really not understand how devastated they would be if something happened to him? What would it take to make the kid see that he had people that cared for _him_, that needed _him_. Peter knew that more than anything else, he had to get Neal to believe that. Otherwise, they would continue to find themselves in similar situations.

"Neal, I know you may find this hard to believe, but Elizabeth and I really care about you. In the short time you've been with us, you've become part of our family. I don't know how you feel about us, but I was hoping that you felt the same."

By this time, Elizabeth had tears in her eyes. She could tell by the look in his eyes that Neal didn't know what to think about this. "Sweetie, what Peter is trying to say is that we love you and we need you, too. And, because we love you, we want to protect you. We would be devastated if something happened to you, especially if it was because of something we could have prevented."

Peter watched the boy closely to see how he reacted to these declarations. It broke his heart to see that Neal still couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. What had happened to this child to make him feel so undeserving of love? Had he ever felt loved before Mozzie? Before Michael and Annie?

Peter took a seat next to Neal, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you find all this hard to believe, kid, but remember rule number two? No lying, right? We are being completely honest with you. We love you, kid, and we want to protect you. Do you understand now? That's why we have rules for you to follow, to keep you safe. If you had just done your best to follow the rules, we could be having a much better afternoon than this. Instead of fishing and swimming, we're stuck here inside, trying to figure out how to get you to pay attention and do what you're told, and then trying to come up with a punishment that will stick with you and remind you of how serious we are about these rules."

Peter finally took pity on the boy who looked absolutely miserable sitting in the chair before him. "Listen, bud, I want you to understand that, yes, I am extremely mad right now, but that's only because I've spent the last several hours scared beyond belief that something terrible had happened to you. You have no idea how scared Elizabeth and I were when we found your bed empty, and then again when we realized that you had left the house to search for Eva. Can you imagine how scared I was to see Keller grab you like he did and put his gun to your neck? Or how scared I was to see you pointing the gun at Keller? Neal, like I said, Elizabeth and I care about you, and we want to be able to take care of you. In order to do that, you have to stop acting like you're all alone, okay? You have to allow us to be the adults here and you have to be the kid. That means that you have to follow our rules, Neal, and do as we say. If you have a problem or concern with anything, you bring it to us and we will discuss it openly and honestly. Okay? Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes, sir, I think I can. I'll try, at least." Neal looked at both Elizabeth and Peter, sadness evident in his eyes. "I _am_ really sorry. I screwed up everything, didn't I?"

Elizabeth gave Neal's shoulder a quick squeeze. "You weren't the only one that made some bad decisions, hon. Will and Eva also played a part in this debacle and I'm sure David and Hannah will be doing what they can to make sure that nothing like this happens again."

Neal looked up at Peter, expectantly, waiting for his punishment to be handed down. After a rather long silence, Peter spoke up. "Let me tell you, kid, if I had pulled something like this when I was your age, my father would have made me head out to the nearest tree and pick out a switch for him to tan me with. I have half a mind to do the same to you, but I don't want to argue with El or my mom about it. Instead, I'm going to let you decide your punishment. You have until we get home tomorrow to come up with something appropriate. If it's deemed inappropriate, you won't like my choice of punishment, so you'd better be extra careful."

Neal blushed at these words, thankful beyond belief that Peter wasn't going to make him pick out a switch. How embarrassing and painful would that be!? He wasn't too enthusiastic about coming up with his own punishment, either, but it definitely beat the alternative. He'd have to make sure he came up with something clever and appropriate. How hard could it be?

* * *

Author's note: Okay, ya'll, I need some ideas of an appropriate punishment for Neal. We definitely don't want Peter to have to choose, do we?

So, what did you all think of the chapter? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading...


	21. What Did I Do To Deserve This?

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 21

* * *

The rest of the weekend wasn't much fun for anyone. After the very long, extremely intense talk with Peter and Elizabeth, Neal was not looking forward to facing everyone else. He couldn't blame any of them if they held him responsible for everything that had happened. After all, it really was his fault. If only he hadn't allowed his ego to get the best of him. He and Will could have had their race in the daylight, with everyone's approval. He still could have shown that he was a better swimmer than Will; it just would have been on better terms.

Following Peter and Elizabeth out onto the front porch brought Neal face to face with the rest of the Burke clan. Before anything could be said, Eva jumped off her mother's lap and threw herself into Neal's legs.

"Neal, you're okay! I was so scared when that bad man took you away. But, I did what you told me to, Neal. I told Uncle Peter everything you said."

Neal knelt down and drew Eva into a hug. "You did great, Eva. You were so brave. Thank you."

Neal tried to pull away, but Eva wouldn't let him. Instead, she wrapped her legs around Neal as he went to stand up. Still holding her, Neal was surprised when Hannah came up to him next, also giving him a hug.

"Thank you for finding her," Hannah said, as she kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for keeping her warm and safe."

Neal didn't know what to say. He felt awful that Hannah was being so nice to him, because it was his fault that Eva was in danger to begin with. How could she forget that?

"Hannah, I'm really, really sorry. It's my fault that any of this happened, at all. If I hadn't snuck out of the house last night, Eva never would have been in danger."

Hannah looked Neal straight in the eye. "I appreciate your apology, Neal, and yes, you shouldn't have snuck out. But, if I'm not mistaken, you weren't the only one who snuck out, right? And neither you nor Will made Eva sneak out, so all three of you made bad choices and I'm pretty sure, after this ordeal and all of its fallout, you will all be sure to never do something so foolish again. So, apology accepted and I still want to thank you."

Neal really didn't know what to say, so he just gave Hannah a small smile. Catherine came up to him next, pulling him into a hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, do you hear me? When I came out of the bathroom and saw that you were gone, I was scared to death."

"I'm sorry, Nana Cat. I know I shouldn't have left, but it was my fault that Eva was lost. I had to help."

Catherine pulled away and looked Neal straight in the eye. "You should have let the adults handle it, Neal. The next time I expect you to do as you're told, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Ben came up to Neal next, looking at him rather sternly. "Son, you had better learn real quick to do what you're told, if you're going to survive in this family. If I know my son, he's not going to tolerate such outright disobedience."

Neal gave Ben a solemn nod, not finding the strength to give him a verbal answer. He was relieved when Ben gave his shoulder a slight squeeze, letting him know that he was forgiven. Finally, he found himself face to face with Will.

"Hey, Will…I'm sorry for getting us into so much trouble. It's my fault that all of this happened and I wish I could take it all back."

"It's not all your fault, Neal. I could have said no, but I didn't. She's my little sister, anyway. I should have made sure that she went back to bed."

Neal once again felt a crushing guilt sweep through him and he didn't know how to answer Will. Luckily, Peter stepped in.

"Okay, now that everyone has had their say in today's events, let's move on to other things. How about we head down to the lake for one last time?"

Everyone quickly agreed and twenty minutes later the extended Burke clan, plus one Neal Caffrey, made their way to the lake. Neal and Will eventually had their race, which surprisingly Neal won, but there was very little fanfare about it.

Neal spent most of his time with Eva, who had recently declared that he was her "bestest friend." That evening Peter and David built a fire on the beach and they all sat around sharing stories. There was still an underlying current of tension, but not enough to make the whole evening a total bust.

By ten o'clock, Eva was sound asleep in her father's lap and the rest of the group was looking pretty tired. After putting out the fire, they all headed back to the cabin. It had been a long day for all of them. Neal was sound asleep within thirty seconds of his head hitting the pillow and didn't even realize that both Peter and El had come in to say goodnight.

* * *

Sometime during the night Peter woke up to his nephew shaking his shoulder.

"Uncle Peter, Neal's having a nightmare and I can't get him to wake up." Will was pretty upset by the way Neal was acting.

Peter was on his feet and headed to Neal's room within seconds, Elizabeth and Will following closely behind. Upon entering the room, Peter could see Neal struggling to free himself from the sheets he was all tangled up in. The boy was crying out and Peter was appalled to hear what he was saying.

"No, Keller, don't shoot! Please, leave him alone." And then, "Peter! No!"

Peter and Elizabeth both ran to the bed, Peter quickly working to untangle the boy from the sheets. "Neal, you're okay. Wake up, bud. You're having a nightmare." When Neal didn't wake up, Peter gently shook his shoulders. "Come on, buddy, wake up!"

Eventually, he started to come around, a look of confusion on his face. Peter helped him to sit up in the bed, giving him time to reorient himself.

"Peter? What are you doing here? What time is it?"

"It's almost three in the morning, Neal, and you were having a bad dream. How are you feeling?"

Neal looked as if he were still trying to snap out of his nightmare, his whole body trembling like crazy. "I'm fine, Peter. It was just a dream. I didn't mean to wake anyone up."

By this time, Elizabeth had sat down on the edge of the bed, grasping Neal's hand in her own. She couldn't help but notice how pale and sweaty the kid was, and she immediately took matters into her own hands.

"Neal, sweetie, take a few deep breaths and see if you can stop that shaking you're doing, okay? Whatever it was, it was all a bad dream. You're safe and so is Peter."

After several long minutes of Neal focusing on what Elizabeth was saying, the trembling stopped, leaving him completely exhausted. By this time, he had slipped back down under the covers, giving in to the feeling of Elizabeth's hands tenderly carding through his hair. Peter and Elizabeth watched him sleep for awhile before they felt confident that the nightmare wouldn't return. They were both reluctant to leave him, but Will reassured them both that he would come and get them immediately if something changed.

Neither one of them slept well the rest of the night, both expecting Will to wake them up again before the night was over.

* * *

The next morning was spent cleaning up the cabin and packing up everything. The overall mood was somber, with everyone wishing the weekend had gone a little better. Neal was in a particularly grumpy mood due to the fact that he didn't sleep well the night before. What he didn't realize was that Peter and Elizabeth hadn't slept well, either, mostly because they kept checking on Neal all night long.

Right after lunch, they all gathered out by the cars to say their goodbyes. Elizabeth, Hannah and Catherine had already made plans to get together again at Thanksgiving. The men thought they might try to get one more fishing trip in before Winter set in, too.

After a round of hugs from everyone, they all piled into their cars and drove off. The ride back home was rather subdued. Neal sat silently in the back seat, trying to come up with a punishment that Peter would find suitable, but he really couldn't come up with anything.

Elizabeth would occasionally try to start a conversation, but neither Peter nor Neal had much to say. After awhile, she decided to find a radio station that they all could enjoy.

Neal couldn't help but notice that Peter kept glancing at him through the rearview mirror, as if he wanted to say something. Much to Neal's relief, he never did.

Eventually, Neal fell asleep, which allowed Peter and Elizabeth to talk over a few important things. Now that Keller was under arrest, there would no longer be a need for twenty-four hour protection for Neal. They would have to permanently remove the tracking anklet, which made the both of them very nervous. By now, they were well acquainted with Neal's ability to find trouble and that tracking anklet served as an extra bit of insurance.

They were also afraid that Neal might decide that he wanted to return to Mozzie's place. Peter knew that he couldn't allow that to happen, but really didn't have a clue as to how to stop it. Mozzie might be an okay provider for some things, but it was obvious that he couldn't give Neal everything he needed. He made for a good friend, but definitely wasn't parent material.

By the time they had reached their house, Peter and Elizabeth had come to a decision.. The only way to prevent a huge fallout over where he would stay, was to provide Neal with an alternative plan. Peter was excited that their alternative plan meant that he and El would file to adopt Neal. They had discussed this before, but the time was never right to present it to Neal. Until now.

It was obvious to everyone that saw the three of them together that they were already a family. Peter and Elizabeth were quickly realizing that themselves. Why not make it official? After discussing all the pros and cons of this plan, they agreed to talk with Neal that evening.

* * *

Once they had unloaded the car, Elizabeth made a simple dinner that they quickly ate. Once they were done, Neal followed Peter and Elizabeth into the living room, taking his customary seat on the couch. This seemed to be a recurring situation, Neal sitting on the couch, waiting for Peter to start lecturing, and he was really tired of finding himself in this situation. More than that though, he figured that Peter must be really tired of it, too.

Peter had been standing, but thought that things might go smoother if he wasn't towering over the boy. Sitting across from Neal, he studied the boy closely, picking up on his nervousness.

"Let me start by saying that I'm not going to lecture you again on this weekend's events, okay? We've already discussed the things you could have done differently, and we've come to the conclusion that you deserve to be punished. So, now I want to hear some ideas on what you think is a deserving punishment. And remember what I said, Neal…..your suggested punishment better be appropriate, or we're going with my choice, which I'm sure you won't like."

Neal swallowed heavily before looking up at Peter. "I've been thinking about it a lot, Peter. In fact, that's all I've thought about all day today, which in itself should be considered punishment, if you ask me."

"Duly noted. Now, what did you come up with, kid?"

"Well, I figured that Keller's arrest means that I don't really need your protection anymore, right? So, I can just leave and go back to Mozzie's. That way you won't have to put up with me anymore and you won't have to worry about what stupid thing I'll do next. It's a win-win situation, don't you think?"

Elizabeth spoke before Peter could even wrap his mind around what the boy was saying. "Neal, that's actually something that Peter and I wanted to discuss with you. Sweetie, you can't go back to Mozzie. We know that he's your friend and we would never expect you to forget that, but he simply can't provide for you in an appropriate way. You need structure, consistency, discipline. You need to go to school and go to the dentist. You need someone to make sure that you're getting enough sleep at night. You need parents."

"But I don't have parents, do I?" Neal tried to keep his cool, but he quickly lost the battle. "I can take care of myself, Beth. I've done it for a long time. And, I can tell you right now that there is absolutely NO WAY I'm going back into the system. I'd rather go back to Crossroads."

Peter took over for Elizabeth, hoping to cool things down a little. "Who said anything about putting you back into the system? That's the last thing we want for you, bud. For the most part, I believe in the system, but I do know that it's flawed at best." Peter hesitated for a few seconds, drawing strength from the look on his wife's face. She wanted more than anything to keep Neal. She wanted to be his mother, and Peter was surprised to find that he really wanted to be Neal's father, even though that meant that he would have his hands full forevermore. How did the boy come to mean so much to them in such a short time? "Neal, what we're trying to tell you is that we want to adopt you. We want you to become a permanent part of our family."

Neal really couldn't believe what he was hearing. If he was completely honest with himself, he wanted nothing more than to be the son of Peter and Elizabeth Burke, but he truly couldn't see why they would want him. He really was nothing but trouble, even on his best days.

"Why would you want to do that, after all I've put you through?" Neal couldn't grasp the idea that anyone in their right mind would choose for him to remain in their life, especially after all he had done. Truth be told, he was also afraid to get his hopes up again. He didn't think he could handle everything falling through again, like what had happened with Michael and Annie. "You barely know me and all I've done is cause you trouble."

Elizabeth grabbed Neal's hand, pulling him slightly in her direction. "You're right, sweetie...we barely know you, but Peter and I want to get to know you better. We've enjoyed having you in our home, _despite_ your frequent mischievous activities and we know you're not perfect. Hopefully you know that we aren't perfect, either. We're all bound to make mistakes, but one of the best parts of being a family is getting through those mistakes together." Neal still didn't look convinced, so Elizabeth continued. "Neal, Peter and I don't know much about your childhood, but we do know that you deserve better than the one you had. We want to make sure that you get a chance at a somewhat normal childhood. Just so you know, this isn't a spur of the moment decision for us. We've been talking about making it more permanent ever since you were in the hospital. We've grown to care for you greatly over these last weeks, and can't imagine our lives without you. Adopting you is the next logical step, right? But, sweetie, if it's not what you want, we won't push you. We'll come up with another plan."

Neal couldn't stop the feeling of anxiety that was bubbling up inside of him, and before Peter and Elizabeth registered what was happening, he jumped up and ran out the door.

* * *

Author's note: I hope you enjoy the chapter. I have an idea of what's up next for our potential new little family, but I'm always open for suggestions. I love writing in this universe and I'm feeling like this story might never end, lol. Thank you so much for reading and I hope all who celebrate the holiday had a wonderful Christmas. Take care, everyone.


	22. New Beginnings Are A Little Scary

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 22

* * *

Neal kept running until he got to the end of the street before stopping. He hadn't made a conscious decision to run; he just felt like he was suffocating and needed to get out of the house. He was so focused on trying to control his state of panic that he didn't realize that Peter had followed him out the door and was now standing over him, trying to calm him down. All he could do was look around wildly, trying to catch his breath.

"Neal! Neal, just breathe, buddy. Slow, deep breaths. Come on, little man, slow your breathing down." Peter tried to keep his voice as calm as possible, but inside he was close to panicking himself. He had never seen Neal so anxious, even when Keller had a gun to his neck. Not knowing what had freaked the kid out so badly, Peter just focused on getting him to calm down.

"That's it, buddy, just slow your breathing down." After several long minutes, Neal finally reined himself in, focusing on Peter's voice. Peter started rubbing circles on his back, hoping to calm him even more. He could feel the trembles running through the boy, and he wished that El was there to help him. He was definitely out of his comfort zone.

"Better, now? Let's go back inside, okay?" Peter started to lead him back to the house, but Neal quickly stopped.

"Wait! I'm not ready yet. I need to stay out here, okay?" Neal pleaded with Peter, looking on the verge of losing it again.

"Okay, bud, we can stay out here, if you need too. How about we take a walk?" Peter glanced down at the house, finding Elizabeth standing on the front steps. He motioned to her that they were taking a walk, so she wouldn't worry, before turning back to Neal and leading him down the street.

They had walked two blocks before Neal felt like he was able to talk. They had come to the park that they usually brought Satchmo to and Peter led Neal over to a small bench. They sat quietly for several more minutes, until Neal finally broke the silence.

"Peter, I'm sorry. I don't know why I ran. I just….."

"Maybe you can tell me what you were feeling, Neal, right before you ran." Peter gave Neal an encouraging look, hoping to reassure the boy.

"I don't know. I just…. I was…I felt overwhelmed by everything. I felt like the walls were closing in on me and I couldn't breathe. I'm sorry for running. I wasn't going to go far."

Peter appreciated the honesty Neal was showing. He knew the boy wasn't lying, mostly because if he _had_ actually decided to run, he wouldn't have been caught so easily. Not saying anything, Peter allowed Neal to collect his thoughts, not wanting to pressure him.

Eventually, Peter thought he was going to have to say _something_, but Neal finally started talking.

"When I was almost nine, I lived with a couple named Michael and Annie. They were great and they wanted to adopt me and for the first time I could ever remember, I felt like I belonged. I wanted more than anything to be their son. They died four months later when their car crashed on the way to pick me up from school. If I hadn't come into their lives, they would still be alive, Peter. Because of me, they're dead."

Once again, Peter could feel his heart breaking for this kid. He really had been dealt a rotten hand in life and more than ever, he wanted to help him. "Neal, that wasn't your fault, son. Things like that happen and it's nothing more than an accident. I guarantee you; Michael and Annie wouldn't blame you for a single second."

Neal looked like he wanted to believe what Peter was saying, but still couldn't bring himself to actually believe it. "Maybe not, but I blame myself, Peter. They would have been better off if they had never met me. I don't want you and Beth to feel the same one day, okay? I'm almost an adult and I can handle things on my own, just like I've been doing."

Now, Peter felt familiar frustration rising up in him. Why couldn't the kid understand that he needed and deserved help? Sure, Peter had no doubt that Neal could get himself to adulthood easily enough, but what kind of life would he lead? How long would it be before he ended up in jail? Or, if he continued to consort with the likes of Matthew Keller, how long would it be before he ended up dead? If Peter had any say at all in the matter, there was no way in hell Neal was going back to his old lifestyle.

"So, is that your only argument in all of this? You don't have any other concerns?"

Neal looked at Peter as if he had grown another head. "Oh, I definitely have other concerns. If I were to agree to this, I'd have to have your word that I wouldn't have to go to school. That's definitely a deal-breaker. And no more tracking anklet. There's no reason to have it anymore."

"I can agree on the no more tracking anklet, but the no school thing is definitely not okay. Maybe we can come up with a plan we can all agree on."

"Peter, I really don't think public school and I will mix very well."

"Neal, remember what I said before? We're always willing to listen to what you have to say about things. We can talk about the school issue later and I'm sure we can come up with a mutually satisfying compromise. I know that all of this will require a huge adjustment for all of us, but we can figure it all out. I just need you to understand why we want to do this. I told you that day in the car that Elizabeth and I wanted children, but it just never happened for us. To be honest with you, kid, I haven't ever seen Elizabeth as happy as she's been since you've come into our lives. I think you've filled a void in her that I couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. She absolutely thrives in the role of mother."

"I, too, love having you here, Neal. I used to imagine what it would be like to have a son, and I have to admit that I've often been jealous of my brother. I would be honored to adopt you and call you my son. In my opinion, nothing else matters."

Neal didn't know what to say, but he could feel the familiar edge of panic starting to build again. He had never been good with the emotional stuff, always avoiding it as much as he could.

Peter could tell that Neal was getting stressed again, so he decided to back off a bit. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry again. What do you say we head back and get something to eat? We can talk more later."

Neal wasn't quite ready to face Elizabeth, but he needed a break from the current conversation, so he agreed. The walk back home was quiet, with both Peter and Neal using the time to think about things. Once they were back home, Elizabeth quietly hugged Neal, before heading into the kitchen to start dinner. She was surprised when Neal followed her in the kitchen and started helping. She talked with him about simple things, trying to keep the conversation light and safe.

After enjoying the dinner that Elizabeth and Neal had prepared, Peter shored himself up for the necessary conversation to follow. He suddenly felt exhausted, but knew it needed to be done. Leading Neal into the living room, with Elizabeth following close behind, he motioned for them to sit. Once again, Neal found himself sitting in his customary seat.

"First off, I want you to know that we can stop any time you feel the need to, okay? If you need a break, just say so. I don't want you running out of the house again. Understand?" Peter looked pointedly at Neal, hoping to get through to the kid.

Neal nodded and waited patiently for Peter to continue.

"Neal, I know the idea of us adopting you came as a bit of a shock, but we're serious about it. We would love nothing more than to have you be a permanent part of our family. Like I said, it's going to require some adjusting on all sides, but we can do it. What do you think?"

"Are you sure? I mean, have you really thought about it? Do you really want me as a part of your family until I'm eighteen?"

"No, Neal," Elizabeth answered. We don't want you in our family until you're eighteen. We want you in our family for the rest of our lives. We want to be here for you when you go off to college and when you get married. We want to be here for you when things are going good and when things are going bad. We want to be here for all your ups and downs."

Neal turned to look at Peter. "What about Mozzie? He's my friend and I need him in my life."

"Mozzie will always be welcome here, Neal. We understand how important he is to you."

Neal tried again. "What about school? I'm not going to school. I tried it once and I was so bored."

This time Elizabeth replied. "You're right, Neal. I think public school would be entirely too boring for you. You need more of a challenge and I know of several private schools that might be a better fit for you. We can check into those. I know a few of them have excellent art programs."

"That would be too expensive, Beth. You guys shouldn't have to spend your money on me like that."

"That's nonsense, sweetie. That's what parents do. Besides, you can't put a price on a child's education, right?" Elizabeth looked at her husband, hoping he would agree with her.

"She's right, Neal. It wouldn't make any sense to send you to a school where you'll be so bored you have to find things to keep you occupied, which will undoubtedly mean you'll get into trouble. We definitely wouldn't want to encourage that."

Neal couldn't help but laugh at that. "I guess I can't argue with you on that. You're probably right."

After discussing a few more things, Neal looked like he had had enough, so Peter gave him a way out. "You can take some time to think about it all, kid. You don't have to make a decision right now."

Neal looked like he might take him up on the offer to wait awhile to think things over, so Peter and Elizabeth were surprised when he spoke again. "I don't need more time. I think I'd, um…I'd really…uh, I want to stay with you. I mean, I'd like it if you adopted me, if you want to."

Neal chanced a glance at Elizabeth, who had tears streaming down her face. Without saying a word, she pulled him into a hug. Seconds later, Peter had joined them.

* * *

Eventually, the three of them headed up to bed, all emotionally and physically tired beyond belief. Neal was a little embarrassed when Elizabeth insisted on tucking him in, _after_ she made sure that he had brushed his teeth. Peter just looked on with a huge smile on his face, getting a kick out of Neal's embarrassment.

Once Elizabeth was done, Peter stepped up. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked at Neal seriously. "I'm proud of you, you know. Today was a tough day, all around, and you met it all head-on."

Neal didn't know what to say, so instead he just studied the pattern on his comforter. He wasn't used to fielding praise for anything other than his artwork.

Peter nudged Neal's leg. "Get some sleep, okay? We still need to discuss your punishment, but we'll tackle that in the morning."

Once Peter left the room, Neal snuggled down in his bed, his mind racing with the day's events. Even though he was bone-tired, sleep was a long time coming for him.

* * *

The next morning they all slept in longer than normal. Neal was actually the first one to wake up, even though he was the last to fall asleep. Going downstairs, he decided to start breakfast. No one knew this, but he actually really loved to cook. One time, before he had even met Mozzie, he enrolled himself in a free cooking class being held at a nearby community center. Even though he was only twelve years old at the time, he was by far the best cook in the class, earning top honors.

By the time Peter and Elizabeth woke up to the wonderful smell of bacon, Neal had finished everything. Bacon, eggs, French Toast and freshly squeezed orange juice were waiting for them when they came downstairs. Neal had even made a fresh pot of coffee, knowing that Peter had some every morning.

"Wow, Neal, everything smells delicious." Elizabeth gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, before grabbing a piece of bacon and sitting down.

They talked about what was on the agenda for the day as they ate. Elizabeth needed to go into her office that morning and Peter needed to go into the White Collar office later, as well. Neal was surprised to find out that they already had an appointment with an adoption lawyer that afternoon, something that Elizabeth had scheduled yesterday while she prayed that Neal would agree to the adoption.

Once they were done, Elizabeth started cleaning up the kitchen, while Peter and Neal finally had the long overdue discussion of Neal's punishment.

"Okay, Neal, I 'm ready to hear your idea of an adequate punishment for everything that happened this past weekend. Make it good."

"I guess you could ground me to my room for a week. And give me extra chores. I don't know, Peter, I've never had to punish someone before, so I'm kinda new at this."

"I don't have much experience with punishing someone, either, you know? Somehow, I have the feeling I'd better get used to it, though."

Neal glared at him after that remark, but Peter just kept going. "I think the grounding idea is a good one, but let's make it two weeks, instead of one. I agree with the extra chores, too. I think I'll add on an early bedtime. Say nine o'clock?" Neal groaned at this. "What else do you have?" Peter continued.

"What else?! That's not enough? You're already making me go to school. Isn't that punishment enough?" Neal looked at Peter, incredulously.

"Neal, you snuck out of the house at two in the morning. You went swimming in a lake in the middle of the night, the same day you learned how to swim. Then, you snuck out of the house again, going into the woods that I expressly told you to stay out of, which lead to a maniac holding you at gunpoint. Do you really think that's enough?"

"Fine, how about if I cook dinner every night for the next two weeks, too?"

"That sounds better, but maybe I should add an hour of corner time every night, as well."

"No way, Peter. I'm fifteen, not five. I'm too old to have to stand in a corner," Neal sputtered.

Peter laughed at the indignation in the kid's voice. "Relax, I'm just joking, although I can assure you that you're never too old to spend some time in the corner, thinking about what you've done. Well, now that that's all settled, maybe we should help El in the kitchen."

Neal followed Peter into the kitchen, making sure to hide the smirk on his face. Yes, no one needed to know that he loved to cook.

* * *

Author's note: I want to give a special thanks to BlueDiamondStar for suggesting that Neal would see having to go to school as a punishment. How good was that?

Thank you all so much for reading.


	23. Never A Dull Moment

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 23

* * *

That afternoon found Peter, Elizabeth and Neal sitting in the office of their adoption lawyer, Jane Thomas, who was a friend of Elizabeth's from college. They had already been there for over an hour, filling out form after form, while answering other questions from Jane. To say that Neal was bored was definitely an understatement. Peter had already told him twice to sit still, and then reminded him once again to quit kicking the leg of the chair he was sitting in. Eventually, Elizabeth had the bright idea to give the poor boy some blank paper and a pencil to sketch with, which helped somewhat with his restlessness.

Eventually, Jane had gotten to the point of the interview where she had to ask about Neal's family. Immediately, Neal's fidgeting came to a complete stop, his attention suddenly fixed on the sketch he was working on.

"Neal, I understand if you don't want to talk about this, but it's part of the process. We have to make sure that no one will fight the adoption. If you have family, they have the right to contest the adoption process."

"I don't have any family that I know of, other than my mom," Neal finally admitted. "My dad died when I was three and I haven't seen my mom since I was eight. I don't even know if she's alive."

"Well, dear, if you can tell me her name, I can see what I can find out. We will search for her and for any family you may not know about. Do you know what her maiden name is?"

After a long hesitation, Neal spoke. "Her name was Mara. I don't know her name before she married my dad. I really don't know anything about her."

Jane shared a look with Peter and Elizabeth, who had been watching quietly from the side. "Thank you, Neal. I know this wasn't easy for you and I appreciate it."

Neal looked at Jane, a horrible question forming in his mind. "Mrs. Thomas, what happens if you find her?"

"We legally have to inform her that Peter and Elizabeth wish to adopt you. Like I said, she has the right to contest it, Neal, but we would fight it. And just so you know, I'm really good at what I do. So, don't worry about any of that prematurely, okay? One day at a time, that's how we tackle this."

Neal looked unsure about everything, but he didn't give in to the fear that was suddenly filling him. He tried to give Elizabeth a smile that would convince her that he was okay, that he wasn't really close to freaking out on the inside. She gave him the same smile.

* * *

After the overwhelming tension they all felt in Jane's office, Elizabeth decided that they should find a nice place to have dinner. Peter suggested a steakhouse, thinking a good steak and beer sounded good, but Elizabeth and Neal vetoed that idea, opting instead to try a new Italian restaurant close to home.

Over dinner, Elizabeth tried hard to steer the conversation away from anything to do with Neal's mom. She talked a lot about the private schools she had checked into, listing the pros and cons of each one. Based on what she knew of them, they were able to narrow the list down to two, and they made plans to visit them both in the next few days. Neal didn't want to admit it, but he felt a little excited about the art programs at both schools.

Over dessert, Neal listened as Peter regaled them with stories of White Collar crimes. He had to admit that there were a few cases that sounded really interesting, but most of them seemed to be boring cases of mortgage and insurance fraud. He kept quiet whenever Peter talked about a particular art crime that he was most likely involved in. For the first time ever, Neal actually felt guilty for his participation in these, and hoped that Peter never found out about his involvement. Somehow, disappointing Peter had become something he didn't want to do.

Once they had finished their desserts, the new family headed home. Again, it had been an exhausting day for all of them. The return trip was spent mostly in silence, with all three of them thinking over the day's events. Neal's thoughts kept returning to his mother and the few memories he had of her. Unfortunately, very few of the memories he held were happy ones, memories of life before his father died. He wasn't even sure that they were actual memories, really.

His earliest memory was of a Christmas morning when he was three. His father was still alive and Neal remembered waking up in the middle of the night, looking for Santa, and instead finding his dad putting presents under the tree. Neal had been confused by this, until his dad had explained to him that Santa was running late and had asked for his help. To his three year old mind this had made perfect sense and he could remember feeling proud that Santa trusted his dad to help with such an important job.

The next real memory he had was of some man coming to their door to talk to his mother, and then of her locking herself in her bedroom and crying through the night. That was the first night he had had to put himself to bed, his stomach gnawing with hunger, as he listened to his mother's sobs through the walls.

The rest of his memories were ones that he had tried hard to forget. The mother he knew had completely shut down after his father had died, leaving in her place a shell of a woman that only thrived when she was either drunk or in the company of some other man. This was how Neal had learned to take care of himself, lying when he had to, stealing when it was necessary. Neal learned early on that his dark curls and big blue eyes made him irresistible to most people, and using these weapons allowed him to survive.

Of course, suspicions were raised whenever a teacher noticed that he never seemed to have a decent lunch packed, or that his clothes never seemed to be clean. However, any time his mother was confronted about this, she would always have an excuse that they found believable. She would often say that he was such a forgetful boy, leaving the lunch she had packed for him at home. Or, that her washer wasn't working and she hadn't had time to get it fixed. Neal had often wondered how these people were so naïve to believe her and so blinded to the truth. He knew now that his ability to con people had most likely come from watching his mother through the years, lying and deceiving when she needed to.

Looking at the two people in the front seat of the car, Neal let his imagination take over. He wondered what Christmases would have been like if he had grown up with the Burkes. He wondered if he would have liked school better if he had parents that were actually interested in his education. He could imagine Elizabeth baking cookies for his school parties and Peter helping him with his science projects. He could imagine parent/teacher conferences where both of them would be excited to hear of the progress he was making. These thoughts eventually lulled him to sleep, a small smile evident on his face.

* * *

Once they had finally arrived home, Elizabeth gently shook Neal's shoulder to wake him. The smile on his face vanished the moment he remembered what they had done that day. Following Elizabeth into the house, with Peter following behind him, Neal said a hasty "goodnight" before heading to his room, Satchmo hot on his heels. Peter made to follow him upstairs, but Elizabeth stopped him. "I think he needs some time alone, hon."

With that being said, the couple quickly took care of a few things around the house before heading up to bed themselves.

* * *

A few days later Peter, Elizabeth and Neal visited the two private schools that Neal was most interested in. The first one had an excellent art program, as well as a few other choice classes for Neal, but for some reason, he felt out of place there. With the start of school being only a few weeks away, the teachers were already at work, preparing their classroom and lesson plans. Most of the teachers they encountered seemed stuffy and unhappy. The art teacher they met with seemed nice enough, but not as knowledgeable about art history as Neal felt he should be.

The next school, The Madison Academy of Art and Academics, seemed much more suitable to Neal's personality. Neal and the art professor immediately hit it off, both extremely interested in the Italian Renaissance period. Neal was also excited to learn that they offered extensive foreign language classes. He had always wanted to learn different languages. The icing on the cake was when he found out that this school had a swim team. While at the lake, he had discovered that not only was he really good at swimming, but he really enjoyed it, too.

After deciding that this was the school he wanted to attend, they had an interview with the headmaster of the school. The man was pleased with how polite and well-mannered Neal was, a fact that had Peter wondering if the boy was sick or something. He had never seen the boy sit so still.

After agreeing that Neal would be a good fit at The Madison Academy, the headmaster handed Peter and Elizabeth an admissions packet, while Neal took a placement test. This time, Neal tried to be as honest as he could with his answers. If he was going to be made to go to school, he may as well try to find classes that were challenging. He knew what would happen if he was bored. Like Peter had said, if that happened, he would have to find something to keep him occupied and that would undoubtedly get him into trouble.

Two hours later, the paperwork had all been filled out and his placement test had been graded. None of them, other than the headmaster, were surprised to find that Neal had scored highly on the test. The headmaster was actually concerned that the school might not be challenging enough for the young man, but Neal assured him that it would be. The man agreed to give it a chance, and sent them home with a catalog of available classes.

Neal sat in the back seat of the car, eagerly thumbing through the catalog. Other than the core classes of English, Math, Science and History, Neal was able to pick three other classes. Of course, he would take the Art class, which combined both art history and art projects. He also decided to take Conversational Swahili, for no other reason than that it sounded cool. He had a harder time picking out his third class. Peter thought that he should take a metal shop class, but with Elizabeth's help he had narrowed it down to Western Poetry, Cooking or Fencing. Peter scoffed at the Western Poetry and Cooking choices, but after Elizabeth told him that those classes were sure to be filled with girls, he saw the benefit. Neal chose the cooking class, making Peter think that he wanted to get better at cooking, just in case his punishment ever included cooking dinner again.

* * *

The next two weeks allowed the new family to settle into a routine. Peter and Elizabeth both returned to work, each taking Neal in with them on occasion. Sometimes Neal stayed home alone, and sometimes he spent the day with Mozzie. Peter didn't like that idea, but knew that the boy needed his friend. His only stipulation was that they stayed at the Burkes house, instead of gallivanting all over New York. He had pulled Mozzie aside at one point, having a heart to heart with the short man about his responsibilities to Neal, making sure he understood how important it was to set a good example. For the most part, things went well.

Neal's grounding finally ended and he was happy not to have to go to bed at nine o'clock anymore. Elizabeth took Neal shopping the weekend before school started; buying everything he needed, as well as a few things he wanted. Neal felt guilty that she had spent so much money on him, but Elizabeth quickly reassured him again that it was her right as a mother to buy things for her child. Neal couldn't help the smile that crossed his face at these words.

The night before school started, Neal sat at the dinner table, picking at the food on his plate. All of a sudden, he was extremely nervous about school. He had never really been one to fit in with kids his age.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Do you not like the chicken?" Elizabeth had noticed that the boy was looking a little pale and was picking at his food. "You're not getting sick, are you?" She asked, worriedly.

"No, I'm fine, Beth. And the chicken is great. I guess I'm just not that hungry."

Peter had been watching the boy, too, and figured that he knew what was wrong with him. "Well, you'd better eat up, Neal. El made Tiramisu for dessert and I know that's one of your favorites."

Neal eventually was able to finish his dinner and actually enjoyed his dessert. Tiramisu _was _one of his favorite desserts and he was grateful to Elizabeth for making it. After the dishes had been done and the kitchen was spotless, the three of them went into the living room to watch a movie. Peter allowed Neal to choose the movie and a few minutes later they were all comfortably settled, the beginning credits of Ferris Bueller's Day Off rolling across the screen.

Once the movie was over, Neal headed up to bed without argument. He was tired and wanted to get as much sleep as he could before the next day. After brushing his teeth and putting on his pajamas, he returned to find Peter sitting at his desk.

"Elizabeth wanted me to make sure you brushed your teeth," Peter said with a smile.

Neal rolled his eyes, as he climbed into his bed, pulling the blankets up around him. He wasn't really bothered by the fact that Elizabeth was checking up on him. "I did, Peter. I have to protect my secret weapon, right?"

This time Peter rolled his eyes, even though he knew the boy wasn't that far off the mark. His smile really was a secret weapon. Between that, his big blue eyes and his curly dark hair, no one stood a chance against him.

"So, how are you feeling about tomorrow? A little nervous?" Peter watched him carefully, to see if his facial expression might give something away. He didn't think that Neal would ever admit to being nervous.

"Maybe a little, I guess. I've never been that good around kids my age, really. What if I don't fit in?"

"Neal, you got along great with Will, remember? You'll fit in fine, as long as you are willing to give them all a chance. I'm guessing that most of them have had vastly different life experiences than you, so you might think they're all a little immature. Just take some time to get to know them and let them get to know you."

"I'll try, Peter. And I'll try to stay out of trouble, but no promises there," Neal laughed.

Peter stood up and ruffled Neal's hair. "I guess I can't expect much more than that, can I? Get some sleep, kid, okay? Tomorrow's a big day."

With that, Peter turned off the lights, leaving Neal alone with his thoughts.

* * *

After making sure that Neal had a great breakfast to start his day off right, Elizabeth handed him his lunch and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You look adorable in your uniform, sweetie," she said, as she fiddled with his tie. "Have a good day, okay? I'll see you this afternoon."

After Elizabeth left, Peter made a few phone calls before ushering Neal into the car. Forty minutes later, he pulled up in front of the Madison Academy and watched as Neal made his way into the school. The boy looked like he was walking into a den of lions. Saying a quick prayer that everything would turn out okay, he reluctantly left to go to the office, feeling like a father dropping his kid off on the first day of kindergarten.

Throughout the day, both Elizabeth and Peter worried about Neal, the day passing too slowly for both of them. Later that afternoon, Peter was in a meeting with Hughes and the rest of team, when an agent interrupted them to tell Peter that he had a call waiting from the Madison Academy. Peter's stomach flipped at these words, imagining the worst, as he jumped up to take the call.

"This is Peter Burke," he said, breathlessly, as he picked up the phone. "Is Neal okay?"

"Neal is fine, Mr. Burke." The headmaster's words took a few seconds to cut through the fear Peter was feeling, but eventually they sank in. "We've had a little incident this afternoon, involving Neal and a few other students, and your presence would be appreciated, to discuss a few things."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, Headmaster Phillips." Not for the first time, and surely not for the last, Peter wondered exactly what the boy had gotten himself into.

* * *

Author's note: There's never a dull moment with Neal, is there? I wonder what he's gotten himself into now? I would love to know what you all think of this chapter. Thank you all so much for reading.


	24. I Knew You Were Trouble

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 24

* * *

The Madison Academy of Arts and Academics was definitely a place Neal had to get used to. He learned quickly that the students were divided into several different categories. Like any other school, there were athletes, science geeks, drama nerds and loners, but there was also a division amongst the students according to their financial status.

Neal fell somewhere in between. Peter and Elizabeth weren't rich, by any means, but Neal wasn't there on scholarship, either. There seemed to be a middle group of students that belonged to hard working parents of slightly above average income.

Having lived on the streets for so long, Neal knew the importance of money, but he found it laughable that the kids at Madison held it in such high esteem. It wasn't like any of them actually had anything to do with the fact that they were rich, but they definitely acted like it.

He even found that some of the teachers treated the "rich" students differently, probably in the hope of gaining favor with their wealthy parents. Neal had never seen more sucking up happening in one place, and he found it rather funny.

Immediately upon walking into the school, Neal found everyone's eye on him. He expected to be the center of attention, of course, but he really didn't like it. Each class he attended, he was made to stand at the front and tell everyone a little about himself, and he made a point to change the story in every class, never coming close to the truth. There really was no need for everyone to know the real story and everyone seemed to accept what he was saying without any doubt.

One thing he noticed standing in front of each class was how all of the girls suddenly became giggly and most of the boys started glaring at him. He wasn't necessarily turning on the charm; he just couldn't hide his natural charm. The last thing he wanted was to alienate all of the male population of the school, so he really wasn't trying to make that great of an impression. For the first time ever, he wished that he could hide his blue eyes and curly hair.

* * *

By mid-morning, Neal had made a few friends and a few more enemies. It seemed he had caught the eye of the prettiest girl in the school, Sophie. This led to the biggest guy in school, Nate, who happened to be her boyfriend, hunting him down in the hallway. After a few unimaginative threats thrown in Neal's direction, Nate led his girlfriend away, not realizing that she was still looking at Neal the whole time.

This scene played out several more times throughout the morning, with each one escalating in seriousness. By lunch, Neal figured that he had better find a way to stop Nate, before things got completely out of hand. Putting his considerable intellect to good use, he started to develop a plan.

* * *

During lunch, Neal found a corner of the campus where most of the kids hung out. Looking around, he was relieved to see that there weren't any staff members in the immediate vicinity. Immediately, he noticed a group of kids looking at him and without hesitation he walked straight into the group, smiling to himself as they parted to let him through.

"Hi, I'm Neal. I'm new here." Neal flashed the girls in the group his most charming smile. "So, what kind of things do you all do for fun around here?"

The girls all giggled and smiled back at him, but the boys just looked at him warily. They all seemed to be sizing him up, but Neal didn't mind. It's what he would have done if he were in the same situation.

Finally, a boy that had been in his art class spoke up. "There's not much to do, really, so we just hang out. Sometimes we get a game of soccer or football going, but it's not much fun when you're wearing these stupid uniforms. What did you do for fun at your last school?"

Neal was surprised that he was able to steer them in the direction he wanted so easily. This would be easier than he thought. A few minutes later, he was dazzling the group of kids with several different sleight of hand tricks he knew, and before too long the group had grown in size. Neal watched out of the corner of his eye as a group of the more popular kids, including Nate and Sophie, kept throwing glances their way.

After a few more tricks, Neal felt it was time to initiate the last part of his plan. The kids were all duly impressed with his abilities and he thought that it was the perfect time to reel them all in. "So, are any of you the betting type?" he asked, casually.

The boy from his art class eyed him suspiciously. "That depends. What are we betting on?"

Neal pointedly looked at the other group of kids, all watching them from afar. "I've been to a lot of different schools in the past, but there's always one thing that stays the same. There's always that one kid who thinks he's king of the world and thinks that everything revolves around him. Have you ever noticed that?"

Immediately, the group all started talking, agreeing with what Neal was saying. Some of them were even throwing angry looks at the other group of kids. Neal nearly laughed at the almost palpable animosity he felt between the two groups.

"I don't know about you all, but I'm tired of people acting like they're better than me. Because they can throw a football? Because they're rich? Who cares? Now, I know I'm new here, but I say we put a stop to it, put them in their place."

After much more agreement from the crowd, Neal continued. "The way I see it, there's usually one or two guys in every school that are the problem. I know I've been here less than a day, but I'm guessing that the self-proclaimed king of the world in this school is that Nate guy over there. Am I right? And that girl next to him is his girlfriend?"

This time one of the girls in the group answered. "That's Sophie, but she's really not that bad. I don't know what she sees in him."

"Yeah, me either," Neal said. "Anyway, how do you think the big man on campus would feel if he was dethroned?"

Neal sat back and watched as they all started talking at once. The kid from his art class, who Neal thought was named Adam or something like that, spoke up. "And what…..you would take over? Why would we want that?"

Neal laughed out loud at that idea. "No way, I'm definitely not looking to take over. I'm thinking equality for all. We all have things we're good at, right? We need to knock down the pedestals these guys are standing on and level the playing field. The easiest way I know to do that is to bring the leader back down to earth, make him realize he's no better than anyone else."

"And you think you can do that?"

Neal flashed his most confident grin. "I know I can do that."

* * *

Neal pulled out his deck of cards, as well as the money that Elizabeth had given him to pay for his art supplies. He had the large group of kids fan out around the picnic table he was standing by and then asked for a few volunteers that had money in their pockets. He explained to them that they would get all their money back when everything was done.

Explaining the rules of Find the Lady to the group was pretty easy. Most of them had at least seen the game on TV or in a movie. Mozzie had taught Neal to master this game, both as a player and as a dealer, and Neal's sleight of hand was the best Mozzie had ever seen. It didn't take long for Neal to get the crowed riled up with excitement and before too long he noticed the other group of kids heading toward them.

Once Nate and his gang showed up, Neal immediately began to close up the game, ignoring the groans coming from the kids who were either winning or had lost their money. Nate and a few of the bigger guys shoved their way up to the table, demanding to know what was going on.

"Nothing," Neal said. "We're all done here."

"That's not fair," said one of the kids that had lost his money. "We should get a chance to earn our money back."

After a little fake cajoling from some of the other kids, Neal agreed to a few more games. Of course, he made sure that they all won their money back, before acting like he was packing up again.

"Hey, wait a minute; I want to try my luck out." Nate looked like he wasn't going to take no for an answer, but Neal didn't back down.

"Hey, man, I'm done for the day. These guys just about cleaned me out and lunch is almost over."

Nate looked angrily at Neal. "I said I want to try, so shut up and let's get going. We still have ten minutes before the bell rings."

Neal rolled his eyes and reluctantly pulled his cards back out. Setting them down, he pulled out what little money he had left, causing Nate to smile.

His smile continued for several games, as Neal made sure to let him win, but then with only time for a few more games, Neal moved in for the kill. The first time he lost, Nate didn't know what to think. The second time, his smile quickly disappeared. The third time, he bet double or nothing, and when he lost he had to borrow money from his friends to pay Neal. Nate's face was turning red as everyone around him laughed. He definitely wasn't used to being laughed at.

Neal acted like he was going to close up the game again, when Nate started getting really mad. "You have to let me try to win my money back," he growled. "Last game, double or nothing…."

Neal gave the kid an arrogant smirk. "I'm sorry, but it seems like you don't have anything else to bet with. Unless….. How about double or nothing this? You win; you get all your money back, plus mine. I win, I get to keep the money, plus I get to kiss Sophie."

Without a second's hesitation, Nate answered, "You're on!"

"Nate!" Sophie sputtered. "Really? You don't own me, you know." Sophie was so angry she could just barely form a full sentence.

"I can't lose all that money, Soph! And it's just a kiss. You'll get over it."

Sophie turned and stalked off, tears streaming down her face in humiliation. Neal felt terrible for doing that to her, actually.

Minutes later, the game was over and Neal had won again, leaving Nate fuming. "You conned me, you little jerk. I want my money back."

Neal made sure to keep out of reach of Nate's fury. "Hey, it's not my fault you're not smart enough to know when you're being conned. Next time, play smarter."

Nate lunged at Neal, but quickly found himself face down on the ground after Neal weaved out of the way, completely aware that everyone was still laughing at him. Jumping back to his feet, he lunged again at Neal, who stuck his foot out just in time, sending Nate sprawling for a second time.

Before anything else could happen, someone yelled that a teacher was coming. At that moment, the bell rang, too, causing all of the students to scatter. Neal sauntered off, trying not to draw attention to himself, while Nate pulled himself to his feet, all the while shooting murderous looks at Neal. Neal figured he would have to be extra careful for awhile.

* * *

He had his English class right after lunch and to his relief Sophie was in his class. He had been feeling bad about the whole kiss thing ever since it happened, but he had just really wanted to prove to her the kind of guy her boyfriend was. Making sure he sat next to her, he waited until they were supposed to be silently reading before turning to her with the most contrite look he could muster.

"Hey, Sophie, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about the whole kiss thing. I was joking about the whole thing and really didn't expect Nate to agree to that. Isn't he your boyfriend?"

Sophie looked like she really didn't want to talk to him, but she answered anyway. "He _was_ my boyfriend, but not after that. I just broke up with him."

"I'm glad. You deserve better, if you ask me." Neal flashed her his best smile. "I'm Neal, by the way. Neal Caffrey."

This time she smiled back. "I know who you are. You're all anyone's been talking about all day. So, what brings you here to Madison, anyway?"

At that moment, the teacher cleared her throat, looking directly at Neal and Sophie. "Apparently, that's a story for another time," Neal whispered, before turning back to his book. He could still feel Sophie's eyes on him for several minutes, but he didn't mind it a bit.

* * *

The rest of the day, Neal surrounded himself with some of his new friends, who to his dismay started treating him as their quasi-leader. He wasn't lying when he said he didn't want that designation. He found it was much better to always fly below the radar as much as possible, but he had to admit that having them around was probably better for his physical safety at the moment.

He kept a wary eye out, but inevitably Nate cornered him in the hallway. Unsurprisingly, he didn't look very happy. "You think you're pretty cool, don't you, taking my money and my girlfriend?"

Neal couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "I didn't take your money, you lost it. And I definitely didn't take your girlfriend. It's not my fault if you don't know how to keep a woman. I could give you some pointers, though, if you're interested."

Nate's face was bright red by this time, and Neal wouldn't have been surprised to see steam come out of his ears. His red face almost rivaled Peter's, a thought that made Neal feel a pang of guilt about what he was doing.

"I don't need any pointers from someone like you. Do you know who I am? I'm captain of the swim team and the basketball team, and I'm Class President. I've dated almost every girl in this school, and those I haven't dated, want to date me. My father is on the board of governors."

"Am I supposed to be impressed by that?" Neal asked, lazily. "Because I really don't care who your father is or what you're captain of. I'm just trying to learn my way around in a new school. Trying to make some friends."

"Maybe you _should_ care, kid, because I can make your life miserable." Nate stepped threateningly toward Neal, backing him up into a locker.

"Listen, Nate, maybe we got off to a bad start. There's no reason we can't be friends, right? I'm willing to try, if you are. I'll even give you a chance to win your money back."

"I'm not playing anymore of your games, kid. Just give me my money back."

"In the name of fairness, I can't do that, Nate. But, if you don't want to play anymore games, how about a friendly bet? Your terms, just name it." Neal didn't expect the idiot to come up with anything good, so he felt relatively safe.

"Okay, we have a twenty minute break after the next class. Meet me here and I'll tell you my terms."

With that, Nate turned and stalked off, leaving Neal to wonder what he might have gotten himself into.

* * *

As soon as the next class ended, Neal made his way back to the corridor by the lockers. Somehow, word had made it through the school that something was going down during the nutrition break and the hall was lined with students. Neal saw Nate standing with his posse waiting at the end of the hall, and without hesitation, he walked up to them. Mozzie had always told him to face things head on and to never let them see you sweat.

"Okay, here's the deal, Neal. Headmaster Phillips keeps his most prized possessions in his office. I'm betting fifty dollars that you can't sneak in there and steal it."

Neal actually felt relieved when he heard Nate's plan. Stealing was never a problem for him. "What exactly am I stealing?"

"Phillips was voted MVP of his basketball team his last year of college. There's a small trophy and a plaque on the shelf behind his desk. I don't care which one you take. You have fifteen minutes." Nate smirked at Neal, before laughing with his friends, thinking that there was no way Neal could pull this off.

"You're on, but let's make it a hundred dollars," Neal said, as he stuck out his hand. Nate reluctantly shook it, put off a little by the confidence radiating off Neal.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Neal walked back into the hallway, his hands in the front pocket of the sweatshirt he was wearing.

"Ha! You owe me a hundred bucks! I knew you couldn't pull it off." Nate looked around, victoriously.

Without saying a word, Neal pulled his hands out of his pocket, each holding an object. "I couldn't decide which one I wanted to take, so I just took them both."

Everyone, except Nate and his gang, immediately burst out in laughter and applause. Sophie stepped forward, planting a kiss on Neal's cheek, which only added fuel to the fire that was building between Neal and Nate. Neal just looked on, feeling rather pleased with himself.

"I think _you_ owe _me_ a hundred bucks. I'll take it in small bills, please." This statement from Neal made everyone laugh again, but before Nate could reply, Neal was saved by the bell.

* * *

Neal's luck had held out all day, but it suddenly came to an end. Walking into his last class of the day, he wasn't happy to see that Nate was also in that class. Sitting as far away from him as he could, Neal settled in for what would probably be an extremely boring class. He was at least thankful that the teacher didn't make him stand up and talk about himself.

Neal still had the stolen objects in his possession and knew he needed to get rid of them. That was something you learned right away in Thieving 101…get rid of the stash, as soon as possible. He wasn't paying attention to the teacher, instead thinking about how he could get rid of the objects in his pocket. His lack of awareness caused him to be taken by complete surprise when the teacher called his name.

"Mr. Caffrey, are you listening? I asked you to come up to the board and work this problem."

Neal stood up and walked to the board. In less than a minute, he had worked the problem out, causing the teacher to look at him in approval. "Thank you, Mr. Caffrey. You may take your seat."

As Neal walked back to his seat, thankful that Mozzie had tutored him in math, he heard Nate whisper something to his friends, causing them to laugh. He really was starting to hate that kid.

Halfway through the class, the teacher left the room to take a phone call. Neal's head was down as he worked on his assignment, so he didn't realize that Nate had left his seat, until he was standing over him, knocking his textbook to the floor.

Neal jumped to his feet, not willing to let Nate intimidate him, even though he was six inches taller and at least a hundred pounds heavier.

"What are you doing? I thought we were going to try to be friends."

"I don't want to be your friend. I just want my money back."

"That doesn't seem fair, does it? Why should I give you your money back, when you owe me another hundred dollars? If you can't deal with losing games and bets, then you shouldn't play." Neal watched uneasily as several of Nate's friends surrounded him. "You lost that bet, fair and square."

Before Neal knew what was happening, one of the guys grabbed his arms, pulling them behind his back, right before Nate threw a punch into his stomach. Gasping for air, Neal struggled against his captor, kicking his legs backward as he tried to wrench his arms free. Nate went in for another punch, but Neal leaned backward, causing the punch to land on the trophy and plaque that were still in his sweatshirt pocket. Taking advantage of the fact that Nate was bent over, grabbing his hand in pain, Neal kicked out again, this time catching Nate in the jaw.

This went on for almost a minute before the door flew open, allowing the headmaster and the teacher to run in and break up the fight. Both Neal and Nate had several bruises already showing, and Neal had a bloody nose. Nate was still nursing his right hand from where he had punched the stolen trophy and plaque.

After being told to grab their things, they all followed the headmaster out of the room. Neal was walking behind Nate and the two other guys that had been involved. He was moving a little slow from the fight, but he was also looking for a place to ditch the items he stole. When they were almost to the headmaster's office, Neal noticed that Nate's outside pocket on his backpack was open, and seconds later the trophy and the plaque were nestled inside.

* * *

Once inside the office, Headmaster Phillips motioned for the four of them to stand in front of his desk. He started by asking if any of them needed medical treatment, but they all denied it. He then asked them all what had happened, but no one wanted to talk. It wasn't until he mentioned that they would all most likely be suspended that Nate spoke up.

"You can't do that! I'll miss Friday's basketball game," he said, indignantly.

The headmaster looked angrily at the four of them. "Then I suggest someone start talking."

Suddenly, Neal had an idea. He knew that he needed to somehow gain control of this situation with Nate. Otherwise, things were really going to get ugly.

"Headmaster, this is all my fault. I did something on a dare, that I shouldn't have done, and Nate was trying to fix it. When he told me what he was going to do, I panicked and punched him. I started the fight. It's all my fault."

Nate and the other two boys were staring at Neal as if he had grown another head. Neal couldn't really believe it, either. Had he taken too hard of a punch to the head? Mozzie had always told him that the worst thing you could ever do was confess, and here he was not only confessing, but trying his best to shift all of the blame his way.

The headmaster was looking on in confusion, still trying to make sense of what was going on. "What exactly happened, Mr. Caffrey?"

Neal explained how he had been dared by someone to steal the trophy or the plaque from the headmaster. Headmaster Phillips immediately looked to the back shelf, letting out a small cry when he noticed they were gone. Neal gave Nate a quick wink before suggesting that Nate return the objects. Nate started to protest that he didn't have the stolen items, but Neal quickly interrupted him.

"They're in Nate's backpack. He was going to return them to you after school was out, right, Nate?"

Nate stood there, dumbfounded for several long seconds before finally catching on. "Yeah, I was going to bring them back to you as soon as the bell rang, Headmaster."

Headmaster Phillips looked at all four of the boys, trying to decide if what they were telling him was the truth. Something about this story just didn't sit right with him, but he was at a loss as to what it was.

"Okay, gentleman, you all have a seat out front. I'll be calling your parents, before I decide your fate."

Neal's heart sank at these words, knowing that his fate would most likely include extra chores and an early bedtime. Not for the first time, he wondered how it was that he kept getting himself into these messes.

* * *

Author's note: Well, what do you think? Neal certainly knows how to get himself into a pickle. I know it may seem weird, but it seems like Neal may finally be showing a small sense of self-preservation. I think his actions at the end of the story may have earned him a little respect from Nate and his gang. Neal's the kind of guy that realizes that it's never really a good idea to alienate himself from others, so even though I doubt they will ever truly be friends, at least Neal won't have to constantly watch his back.

This chapter was the hardest one I've written so far, and I'm really not satisfied with it, so I hope you all at least somewhat enjoy it. The next chapter will be Neal, Peter and Elizabeth. Much more familiar territory for me.

Thanks for reading.


	25. Let's Hope The Neighbors Don't Find Out

Whatever It Takes

Chapter 25

* * *

On his way out of the office, Peter called Elizabeth, telling her what Headmaster Phillips had told him and making plans to meet her at the school. He reassured her that Neal was okay, not that that really made her feel any better. She would have to see him with her own eyes to be sure.

While he was on his way to the school, Peter's imagination ran wild with all the possibilities of the trouble Neal could have gotten into. Truth be told, he was actually surprised that the kid had stayed at the school the whole day. Peter knew that Neal's first inclination was always to run when he was nervous or scared, and he was sure that the kid had been fairly nervous when he had gone into the school.

After finding a parking spot within reasonable distance, Peter walked into the school. The first thing he noticed upon entering the main office was Neal and two other boys, sitting on a bench directly outside the Headmaster's office. All three boys looked up at the sound of his footsteps and Neal stood up to face Peter as soon as he realized it was him.

"Peter! I can explain!" Neal sputtered. Peter knew he was nervous, but other than the tremor in his voice, he radiated calm and innocence.

"I hope so, Neal, but let's wait until Elizabeth gets here and we can meet with the headmaster. There's no sense in going through it all again in a few minutes."

Neal's eyes widened and Peter could suddenly see some evidence of his nervousness. "Elizabeth's coming?"

"She should be here any minute. She's just as curious as I am about what kind of trouble you've gotten yourself into already." Looking at Neal closely, Peter could tell that the kid had been in a fight. "I don't think she's going to be too happy that you got blood on your uniform, either. Are you okay?"

Neal looked guiltily down at his pants that had evidence of his bloody nose. Before he could say anything, the door to the headmaster's office opened, allowing Nate and his parents to exit. Neal watched Nate closely and didn't miss the wink that he sent him. Unfortunately for Neal, Peter didn't miss it, either.

After Nate and his parents left, the headmaster stopped to talk to the other two boys, informing them that he would be meeting with their parents the next day. The two boys got up and quickly left the office, leaving Neal to stand there awkwardly while Peter and Headmaster Phillips shook hands and made small talk. Minutes later, Neal heard the unmistakable sound of Elizabeth's high heels clicking down the hallway, his heart sinking at the thought of seeing her look at him with disappointment.

Once she entered the office, she immediately walked to Neal, checking him out from head to toe.

"Are you okay? Why is there blood on your clothes? What happened?"

Before Neal could answer, Peter spoke. "He's okay, El. Why don't we go into Headmaster Phillips' office and we can figure out what all of this is about?"

Minutes later they were all seated in the office. Headmaster Phillips filled Peter and Elizabeth in on what had transpired that day. He, of course, only knew the edited version of events and Neal had to work hard to not give anything else away. By the time Neal had given his version of events, he could barely look up at Peter and Elizabeth, feeling their disappointment soaking into him.

"So, just to make sure we understand what happened… First, someone dared you to break into the headmaster's office and steal something out of it, which you did. Then, this Nathan kid found out and was going to turn you in, but you picked a fight with him to stop him. Is that right, Neal? Is that what happened?" Peter asked.

"Well, I didn't really break in. The office wasn't locked. And I didn't steal the trophy and plaque, I just borrowed them. I was going to bring them back."

"Damn it, Neal, call it what it is. You might not have picked the lock, but you entered into this office without consent. And you didn't _borrow_ the items, you stole them." Peter's face was turning that scary shade of red that Neal was growing far too familiar with.

"Neal, sweetie, why would you do something like that?" Elizabeth looked at him, concern etched on her face. "There has to be a reason."

"I don't know, Beth. This kid dared me and all the other kids were watching me. I couldn't say no. I'm sorry." Neal flashed Elizabeth his saddest look, his blue eyes pleading with her to understand his predicament. He felt awful for lying to her and to Peter, but he really didn't have a choice.

Elizabeth looked like she believed him, but Peter didn't seem to be buying it. Before anything else could be said, though, Neal spoke again. "I'm really sorry, Headmaster Phillips. I really was going to return your things. I thought I could sneak them back in here and you wouldn't even have known that they were gone."

"Apology accepted, Mr. Caffrey. I understand that it can be hard fitting into a new school, but maybe in the future you can make better decisions. As for the fighting, we generally have a no tolerance policy, resulting in a two week suspension, but since today was your first day and this was your first, and hopefully last, offense, I think a one week suspension will be acceptable."

The headmaster looked at Peter and Elizabeth. "I'll have his teachers prepare his assignments for the rest of the week, if one of you can pick them up tomorrow. Neal can return to school on Monday, where he will serve afternoon detention for a week, as well."

After finalizing a few details, Peter and Elizabeth led Neal out of the office and out to the parking lot. Neal wasn't sure who to go with, until Peter spoke up.

"I need to go back to the office and finish a few things, so you'll go home with Elizabeth. When you get home, go straight to your room and stay there, Neal. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Neal answered.

* * *

Neal had been up in his room for several hours by the time Peter came home. Elizabeth made sure to bring him up a much appreciated snack, but then she left him alone, to think about everything. Neal was eventually so bored that he wanted more than anything for Peter to come home, just so he could have someone to talk to. At least, he felt that way until the moment he heard the front door open. Then suddenly he wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

Peter didn't come upstairs right away, causing Neal to grow more and more fidgety. He was never really good at waiting. Eventually, he heard the sound of Peter's steady footsteps on the stairs and he straightened himself up on the bed. After a slight knock, the door opened to reveal a very unhappy Peter Burke, who, without a single word, pulled the desk chair out from under the desk and placed it directly in front of Neal. Neal waited for what seemed like forever for Peter to start talking, staring down at his knees the whole time.

"I want to get something straight with you, Neal. I have no problem with you defending yourself when you need to, but I do have a problem with you starting a fight yourself. You're smarter than that, kid. In fact, I'm really having a hard time believing that you would start a fight just because you were trying to avoid getting into trouble. That just doesn't seem to be your modus operandi."

Neal didn't know what to say to this, so he just kept looking at his knees.

"And this whole dare thing seems half-baked at best. I want to know what led up to this kid daring you to do something so monumentally stupid. I'm pretty sure he didn't just come up to you and say 'Hey, new kid….I dare you to steal something,' did he?"

Finally, Neal gathered his courage and looked up at Peter. "I already told you what happened, Peter. He dared me in front of everyone and I had to take him up on it. My reputation was at stake."

Neal could hardly stand the disappointment he saw in Peter's eyes.

"Neal, this whole adoption thing has made both Elizabeth and me very happy. I'm looking forward to building a relationship with you, bud, and I want that relationship to be built on love, honor and respect. Part of respecting someone means you don't lie to them. I know there's more to this story than what you told us, and I would really appreciate it if you would tell me the truth. Rule number two, remember?"

Neal's brain was scrambling to figure a way out of this without incriminating himself, but he suddenly realized he didn't want to lie to Peter anymore. His previous life had been built on lies, whether they were outright lies or lies of omission, and he was suddenly really tired of lying. It took way to much energy to maintain and perpetuate lies, especially around someone as observant and intuitive as Peter.

"Peter, I really didn't set out to cause all of this trouble today. I was just trying to fit in, but a few of the guys had other plans. I was just trying to get through the day without alienating myself from the entire school. You're the one that said I needed a better sense of self-preservation, remember?"

"You have a strange sense of what counts as self-preservation, kid." Peter laughed. "Nice try, though. Now, I want to hear the truth from the beginning."

Neal hesitated for a few seconds, before telling Peter the truth about what had happened that day.

* * *

By the time Neal was done, Peter's head was hurting; probably from all the times he had figuratively banged it against a wall in frustration. He knew that Neal had a near genius IQ, but sometimes the boy lacked simple common sense. Well, that wasn't exactly true, either. The kid had common sense; he just didn't always use it.

He would never admit it out loud, but Peter did feel a bit proud that Neal was able to neutralize the most arrogant boy on campus and held his own against the three boys. He also couldn't help feeling a little proud that the boy had gotten the girl in the end. Neal hadn't readily told him about Sophie, but Peter had noticed him blushing when he got to a certain part of the story, and after much cajoling Neal had told Peter at least a few of the details. Peter felt a little sorry for this Sophie girl, knowing that she wouldn't be able to resist Neal's charm very easily.

After getting the whole story out in the open, Peter was once again faced with coming up with a suitable punishment. He had a feeling he was going to get really good at that by the time Neal was eighteen.

"Okay, I'm sure it's obvious and I don't need to say it, but I'm going to anyway. Absolutely no more stealing and absolutely no more of these conman schemes. No more betting, either. Are we clear on that?"

"Does that mean I can't ever play poker again?" Neal asked with a smile.

"I'm serious, Neal. I'll be very upset if I ever find out you've been scheming and betting again. And you won't want to be anywhere near me if I ever find out you've stolen something, either." Looking seriously at Neal, Peter hoped the boy was really listening to him. "I guess you've already figured out that you're grounded again. Two weeks. That means extra chores and early bedtime, too. Since you're out of school the rest of the week, you can do a few of the bigger house chores that need to be done. The backyard fence really needs a new coat of paint, as does Elizabeth's gardening shed. There's paint in the basement. You're also on cooking duty the rest of this week."

Neal groaned at the growing list of chores, but all in all he thought Peter was being fair. The cooking thing really wasn't a punishment and Neal definitely didn't mind painting. He thought he probably should seem more upset than he was feeling, but really didn't think through the next words that came out of his mouth.

"Gee, Peter, I'm beginning to think the only reason you want to adopt me is for the free labor."

Peter's face darkened at these words and Neal wished that he could take them back. "That's not funny at all, Neal."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, Peter. It was a joke….really."

"No more jokes like that, okay, kid? This adoption thing isn't a laughing matter. Now, why don't you go down and help El finish dinner, while I take a quick shower."

Neal climbed off the bed and headed to the door. Right as he passed Peter, the man grabbed his arm and before Neal knew what was happening, he was being pulled into a hug. "Thank you, Neal, for telling me the truth."

Neal immediately tensed up, but then felt himself melt into the hug, his initial embarrassment dissolving away. There was something about being hugged by this man that made everything seem like it would be okay.

* * *

Once dinner was over, Neal helped Elizabeth clean up the kitchen, while Peter took Satchmo for a walk. He spent a few minutes apologizing to her for everything and then a few more minutes telling her about Sophie. Elizabeth thought it was adorable that he blushed whenever he said Sophie's name.

After giving Neal a mini-lecture herself, Elizabeth gave him a kiss on the cheek, making him promise that he wouldn't be starting any more fights and that he would at least try to behave. She also added on a few more chores to his growing list. It looked like he would have plenty to keep him busy during his suspension and grounding.

Once the kitchen clean-up was done, Elizabeth went to do some laundry and Neal walked into the living room, grabbing the television remote before sitting in his favorite spot. He had just turned on his favorite show, when the front door opened to Peter and Satchmo. Satchmo immediately loped over to Neal and plopped down at his feet, resting his head in Neal's lap. Peter walked straight into the living room and plucked the remote out of Neal's hand, turning the TV off in the process.

"Hey, I was watching that," Neal protested.

"Hey, you're grounded, remember? Naughty kids who get themselves grounded don't get to watch TV." Peter couldn't help but laugh at the look on Neal's face when he called him naughty.

Standing up, Neal grumbled something that Peter couldn't understand before heading upstairs to his room. It was going to be a long two weeks for everyone in the Burke house.

* * *

The next day, Neal was home alone, while Peter and Elizabeth were at work. He had a rather long list of chores, but he decided to tackle painting the fence and shed first. Heading down to the basement, Neal was surprised to find all different shades of paint. It was obvious by looking at the inside of the house that Elizabeth liked colors. Each room was painted a different color and all the extra paint was stored in the basement, giving Neal a brilliant idea.

It took Neal several trips to get all of the paint up to the backyard. He also found a bucket full of paint brushes of all different sizes and brought those up, too. Looking at the shed and the fence, Neal started planning what he was going to do.

* * *

Sometime that afternoon, Neal stopped to take a break and to examine his work. Instead of just adding another coat of paint to the fence and shed, he had done something completely different. On the sides of the shed, he had painted two separate murals. On one side, he had painted a beautiful meadow scene, with flowers blooming and trees lining the edge, sunlight filtering through their branches. On the other side, he had painted the same meadow, but it was bathed in moonlight, instead. The fence had received a fresh coat of paint, but he had also created an amazing ocean panorama, with gentle waves lapping at the beach, and seagulls and kites flying overhead. In one small corner, he had drawn Peter and Elizabeth walking on the beach, with Neal and Satchmo following behind.

Seeing it all completed, Neal suddenly became nervous. Maybe he should have asked before doing something different. What if Peter and Elizabeth really just wanted the fence and shed painted normally? What if they hated it? For a split second, Neal felt like painting over everything he had just done, but he stopped himself. He knew that neither one of them would actually tell him that they hated it, but he was pretty good at reading body language. He would be able to tell whether or not they actually liked it. If they didn't, he would just repaint it the next day.

* * *

By the time Peter and Elizabeth made it home, Neal had dinner ready and on the table. He had made chicken parmigiana, knowing that it was one of Elizabeth's favorite. They made small talk during dinner and Neal was okay until Peter asked him if he had gotten any of the chores done.

Neal's hesitation in answering the question had Peter thinking that the boy hadn't done anything all day, but Neal quickly assured him that he had.

"I painted the fence and the garden shed today."

"Great. That's one thing you can mark off your list. What else did you get done?"

Neal took a long drink of his tea before answering. "That's it. Just the painting. It took me longer than I thought it would."

Peter sighed in irritation. "Neal, that should have taken you three hours, at the most. What did you do the rest of the day?"

"I painted, Peter. Just like I said. Can I just show you both, before you get any angrier?"

With that, Neal walked out the back door, waiting anxiously for the two of them to join him. Once they were standing next to him, he spoke again. "If you don't like it, I can paint over it. It's no big deal."

Neither Peter nor Elizabeth spoke for the longest time, making Neal more uncomfortable with each passing second. Looking at Elizabeth, he was surprised to find tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry, Beth. I promise, I'll have it repainted by the time you get home tomorrow."

Elizabeth looked at him as if he were speaking another language. "What are you talking about, Neal? Why would you repaint it?"

"I should have asked if it was okay to do that," Neal said, pointing angrily at the shed and fence.

This time it was Peter who spoke up. "Do you think we're mad at you for painting that?" he asked, incredulously.

"Neal," Elizabeth said, as more tears streamed down her face. "I think that's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I absolutely love it. I can't believe you did all of this in one day."

Neal wasn't sure, but he thought that Elizabeth was being honest with him. Turning to Peter, he asked, "Rule number two….no lying, right? You guys really like it?"

Peter pulled Neal into another hug. "We love it, Neal. I knew you were talented, but I really didn't expect this." Turning to Elizabeth, who still had tears streaming down her face, he said, "We better not let the neighbors see this, or they'll all be commissioning Neal to paint their fences."

* * *

That night, Neal slept better than he had for a very long time. There was something about painting that always soothed his soul, and knowing that Peter and Elizabeth liked his art meant so much to him. Elizabeth had taken several pictures of the murals on her phone and spent the rest of the evening posting pictures to every social media account she had. Peter had taken pictures on his phone, too, claiming that he wanted to show everyone in the office.

Neal felt like a little kid whose mom had tacked his artwork up on the refrigerator, a feeling he was sure he had never felt. He went to sleep that night, dreaming of a life spent with Peter and Elizabeth and he woke up the next morning with a renewed sense of hope that his life was changing for the better.

* * *

Author's note: It's getting harder and harder to come up with creative punishments for Neal. I'm pretty sure I can't keep up with him, lol. What did you think about the way Peter handled this latest mess? Did you think Neal coming clean so easily was a little far-fetched, or was it believable for you?

I loved the ending of this chapter, with Peter and Elizabeth being so supportive of Neal's art. In canon, Neal is always reluctant to show his own art, finding it easier to just copy other people's work. I'm sure this is because he fears rejection and that has always made me sad. Maybe with a little help from Peter and Elizabeth, he'll realize his true gift.

I want to give a shout out to two readers: Gloworm4 for flooding my inbox with reviews of almost every chapter and to caseylf123 for reading my mind. I had already planned out the mural/painting stuff and she suggested the same thing. Great minds think alike, right?

I wish I could give a shout out to all of you, because I think you're all pretty special. Thanks for reading and for reviewing, if you choose to.


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